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(NEWZIMBABWE, AP) Zanu PF loyalists disrupt constitution indaba

Zanu PF loyalists disrupt constitution indaba
by Angus Shaw
13/07/2009 00:00:00

LOYALISTS of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party disrupted the opening of a national conference to draw up a new constitution for Zimbabwe.

Monday's opening remarks by Parliament Speaker Lovemore Moyo were drowned out by militants singing revolutionary songs. Moyo is a member of the former opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is headed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Under Zimbabwe's unity government agreement that brought Mugabe and Tsvangirai together in February, a new constitution must be drawn up ahead of new elections.

As the speaker of parliament Lovemore Moyo gave his opening speech, the protesters began singing in Shona: "Zimbabwe was brought by blood."

"This country was won by the gun, not a constitution," yelled a woman from the group as they marched to the podium, grabbed water bottles from tables and splashed lawmakers.

"Nothing is going to take place here," a protester said through the public address system, as others ripped off table cloths, sending crockery crashing on the floor.

Police were on hand but took no action. The meeting eventually collapsed as frustrated ministers and parliamentarians walked out.

Tensions were high even before the opening, as political rivals sang songs denigrating each other. Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara had been expected to address the meeting, but they did not show up.

In a statement, the MDC said "Zanu PF thugs" had "brought proceedings to virtual chaos" at the Harare International Conference Centre.

The party named Zanu PF youth leader and Mt Darwin South MP Saviour Kasukuwere, Zvimba East MP and President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwawo, war veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba and former Hatcliffe MP, Nyasha Chikwinya as responsible for the disruptions.

"The MDC blasted: "The Zanu PF-induced chaos is obviously meant to derail the Constitution-making process and to prevent the people of Zimbabwe from writing their own Constitution.

"Zanu PF has chosen to disrupt a Constitutional process enshrined in the Global Political Agreement. Zanu PF has not only walked out but disrupted a roadmap clearly defined by SADC and the AU as the only route to having legitimate leadership in Zimbabwe. Zanu PF has clearly relapsed into its violent mode to fight a legitimate national programme."

The MDC said the Zanu PF MPs and the party’s delegates were "clearly reading from a script whose sole agenda is to derail the Constitution-making process."

"First it was the failed attempt to foist the Kariba Draft on the people. Second was the attempt to cheat on the accreditation process by bussing thousands of innocent old men and women to the venue. Now they have publicly declared war against the people of Zimbabwe who want a Constitution by themselves and for themselves.

"The plot is clear. The idea is to derail the Constitution-making process so as to delay the holding of free and fair elections which will inevitably see Zanu PF confined to the archives." - AP/Staff Reporter

Labels: CONSTITUTION, MDC, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 4:31 PM