(THEZIMBABWETIMES) War vets to campaign for Kariba Draft

War vets to campaign for Kariba Draft
By Owen Chikari
March 22, 2010

MASVINGO – War veterans and Zanu-PF supporters have resolved to set up bases throughout the country to campaign for the adoption of the Kariba Draft Constitution amid fears of an eruption of violence.

The outreach programme of the constitutional reform process, which will involve the gathering of people’s views to be included in the document, is set to start early next month. The process was delayed because of differences among the political parties in the country’s fragile inclusive government.

At a meeting held at the Chiefs Hall in Mucheke on Monday, so-called war veterans and Zanu-PF youths resolved to launch what they described as a serious campaign reminiscent of pre-election campaigning in order to push for the adoption of the Kariba Draft.

President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has been pushing for the adoption of the Kariba Draft, put together in the town of Kariba by his party and the MDC parties three years ago.

The mainstream MDC, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, is now opposed to the draft cobbled together by politicians without consultation of the public.

But Zanu-PF is sticking to the draft, apparently because it leaves Mugabe’s powers intact. And the party has signalled it would pull all stops, including setting up campaign bases to ensure adoption of the draft.

“We have agreed that the constitutional reform process is just similar to an election,” said Isaiah Muzenda Masvingo provincial war veterans chairman, “and as war veterans and party youths we are going to dig deeper into our bags of tricks so that we push our party’s agenda.

“The establishment of bases in the countryside has been helpful to us during election time and therefore we are definitely going to re-employ it. The idea is not to beat up people but to teach people.”

Zanu-PF youths at the meeting said that they would ensure that the party’s position was understood.

“We will just campaign for the party’s position the same way we have done during election times,” said one of the youths at the meeting

The meeting was attended by members of Zanu-PF’s central committee and politburo.

There are strong fears that violence will erupt during the outreach programme as political parties within the inclusive government push for their positions.

War veterans and Zanu-PF youths, infamously known as the Green Bombers, have played a part in sustaining Mugabe’s rule through violent campaigns, particularly in the rural areas.

The army and state security agents have also been accused of violence, intimidation and abductions.

During the run-up to the June 27 presidential election runoff in 2008, the mainstream MDC claimed that over 500 of its supporters were killed by Mugabe’s supporters and agents.

Campaign bases similar to those established during the liberation struggle were set up in the countryside where political opponents were tortured and harassed.

However, a co-chairperson of the parliamentary select committee, Paul Mangwana, on Monday said they would not entertain violence during the outreach programme.

Mangwana, who is the legislator for Chivi Central, representing Zanu-PF, said: “We will not entertain violence during the constitution reform process.

“Political parties are free to canvass for support but not to beat or victimise people.”