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(TALKZIMBABWE) Biti attacks NGOs, NCA

Biti attacks NGOs, NCA
TZG/MP reporters
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:19:00 +0000

THE crisis in Zimbabwe has become big industry for Non-Governmental Organisations, with some unscrupulous NGOs fighting to derail the Constitution-making process, a the minister of finance said last week.

Tendai Biti, made this revelation during a breakfast business meeting in Mutare last week, adding that the Constitution-making process was not a private matter for NGOs. The breakfast was organised by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in conjunction with Manicaland Publicity Association. Biti said this amid reports that more than 2,500 NGOs are operating in Zimbabwe.

"The Constitution-making process is not a private matter for NGOs. It seems our crisis is a big industry for some NGOs," he said.

The National Constitution Assembly chairman, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, recently took a swipe at the MDC-T for allegedly differing with the NGOs on the Constitution-making process.

"We might have fought together, but that is not a licence to write a Constitution," Dr Madhuku recently said.

However, in a subtle, but apparent broadside to the National Constitution Assembly, Biti said: "If your organisation is 'constitution' something, then you are in trouble if the country has a new Constitution, if your organisation is 'crisis' something, then there is no business if there is no crisis in the country," he said.

Biti, who is also the secretary-general of the MDC-T, said the Constitution-making process was not a preserve for the Parliament, neither was it for the executive.

"Parliament or the executive don't make constitutions. We need a buy-in from the people of Zimbabwe; it is the people of Zimbabwe who write a Constitution," he said.

Biti, however, urged Zimbabweans to take part in the Constitution-making process, adding that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, which should not be wasted.

"It is almost 10 years since we last tried to write our own Constitution and it might take us another 10 years if we lose this opportunity. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity," he said.

He said it was a healthy situation for Zimbabweans to be suspicious of the Government in Constitution-making process, as that would create a healthy debate in the process.

TZG/MP

Labels: CONFEDERATION OF ZIMBABWE INDUSTRIES, LOVEMORE MADHUKU, NEOCOLONIALISM, NGOs, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 4:35 PM