By Lerato Ndlovu
Civic organisations stand for the people’s voice to be heard in Parliament in regards to the gazetted Constitutional Amendment Bill No.2, which seeks to introduce at least 27 amendments to the constitution that was only adopted in 2013 through an overwhelming 94.49% voter support at a referendum.
Speaking at a discussion forum for journalists at Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) in Harare, Blessing Gorejena, the Zimbabwe NGO Human Rights Forum executive director, stated that the parliament has to review the clauses that are said to be due for amendment putting into mind the voices of the public.
“There are provisions of the current constitution that we are still to test, the parliament has been sugar coating it and changing it to base on what hasn’t been done.
“The parliament has to review the amendment making use of the public’s voice for they have a greater impact than the few individuals above,” she said. “The citizen’s consciousness must be reactivated in regards to constitutional amendments.”
She went on to say that the proposed amendments were an attempt by the ruling elite to consolidate power around the president while weakening Parliament.
“From my understanding, the proposed amendments are meant to consolidate power in the office of the president, while reducing the powers of Parliament that has to say what the public voices tell them,” Gorejena said.
Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (Walpe), programs manager Batanai Mapinde stated that their organization has citizens bringing petitions to their leadership workshops that they want submitted to parliament on their behalf in regards to the constitutional amendment.
National Association of Youths Organisation (NAYO) Zimbabwe program manager McDonald Munyoro said that in the process of conscientizing the public some of the youths are afraid of sharing their views hence making it difficult to communicate with them.
“We have been having a greater call from people wanting to air out their views on their own through the various broadcasting platforms, so that their voices are heard.
“In regards to youths we have had a challenge of their majority refusing to open up and share their views on the amendments with the fear that they will be finally judged for their judgement in certain issues and also be judged by their communities,” he said.
The Election Resource Centre (ERC) represented by Kudakwashe Magede said that the citizens have been making follow ups and requesting for more knowledge on the amendments despite having been advised and given adequate material by grass root organisations in their communities that would have been gathered from the ERC.
