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| Africa Subsaharan | |
| Drafting a new Zim charter | |
| 2009-06-28 | |
| [Mail and Globe] Zimbabwe has begun the process of writing a new Constitution, opening a new battlefield between the unity government's rival partners. The first public meeting to canvass public opinion on the new Constitution ran smoothly at a Harare convention centre on Wednesday, but the months ahead will prove much rougher. The coalition partners appear to be drifting farther apart and drawing up a new Constitution is set to pit reformists against elements within President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF, still resistant to change. The country expects to have a new Constitution by July next year, when a referendum intended to lead to fresh elections will be held. But with temperatures boiling over, it is unlikely it will be that easy. An early sign of the bitter fight that lies ahead came on Wednesday when state media, which remains fiercely loyal to Zanu-PF, endorsed a draft -- drawn up by both parties -- which does not have limits on presidential terms and leaves the president's powers largely intact. Although it helped draw up that draft, the top executive of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said this week that it now wants broader public consultation, leading to a new draft Constitution, which would see more reforms. Senior MDC leaders and activists say the published draft falls far short of the reforms needed to check presidential powers and allow more freedoms, such as in the media. "We also need to see more change in the way we run elections," an MDC official said. "That is at the core of our troubles." On Wednesday the MDC's national executive said: "The MDC believes in a truly people-driven Constitution-making process where the unfettered will of the people must be reflected."
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| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 1984 was written in English... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2009-06-28 22:35 |
| #2 Since it was a British colony, it'll likely be in English with versions in the two main tribal dialects. I suppose one should be thankful that it won't be in Russian or Chinese. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2009-06-28 13:21 |
| #1 Zimbabwe has begun the process of writing a new Constitution Writing in English or Afrikaans I take it. Civility, languages, education, and ability to READ and WRITE brought to them by evil white missionaries and colonial exploiters. Auugh, the delightful irony! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-06-28 08:31 |