CPIA calls for referendum in Zim

CPIA calls for referendum in Zim
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Monday July 28, 2008 [04:00]

CENTRE for Peace Initiatives in Africa (CPIA) executive director Dr Leonard Kapungu yesterday called for a referendum to approve the document being crafted by ZANU-PF and MDC in the inter-party talks. Dr Kapungu, in an interview with The Post, appealed to the negotiators to ensure that Zimbabweans buy into the new dispensation that will emerge from the talks.

"We cannot think of a better way or any other way of involving the citizens
except through a referendum. To this end the document being crafted by the negotiators should have the seal of approval and legitimacy of all Zimbabweans, through a referendum, before it becomes the Supreme Law of the Land," Dr Kapungu said.


"We hope and pray that the negotiators will be able to deliver at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime we call upon the government of Zimbabwe to protect all its citizens and refrain from any acts that unnecessarily threaten them. At the same time we call upon all political parties, trade unions, civil society, individuals and the media to refrain from provocative actions and making careless statements."
He also applauded the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the two political parties.

"This was indeed a momentous occasion. We hope that the substantive talks now underway will be conducted in a mature and rational manner in the spirit of compromise, with the interests of Zimbabweans at the centre of the discussions," Dr Kapungu said.

"We sincerely hope that the hard bargaining and 'horse trading' inherent in negotiations will be tampered with selfless pragmatism so as to bring about a long lasting solution to the political impasse, economic meltdown and social dislocation besetting the country.

"In their quest for and pursuit of a mechanism that guarantees peace, stability and good governance, there is need for the negotiators to be single-minded and focus on the big national picture at the expense of self interest and narrow partisan considerations."

Dr Kapungu said the negotiations should go beyond the short and long term solutions in purely constitutional terms.

"We are convinced that the talks present a glorious opportunity for the negotiators to bring on board other issues, such as reconciliation. The short history of Zimbabwe is littered with political and social upheavals, which cry out for redress. Physical, mental and emotional wounds caused by Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina and the violence and trauma in recent weeks are examples of areas that require attention," Dr Kapungu said. "We, therefore, appeal to the negotiators to think in terms of creating a reconciliation mechanism in the very near future.

We do not have to reinvent the wheel either! We have the Rwanda model, the Ghana model, the South African model and templates of Balkan countries in Europe and a number of South American countries.

"We are of the opinion that for the country to move forward with a shared vision and a sense of renewal, it is absolutely necessary to revisit the whole question of reconciliation - genuine national reconciliation without which there will always be cracks that can be exploited by opportunists."