Ousting Mugabe

Harare, January 04, 2010- The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), which
is opposed to the current government led constitutional making process, on
Sunday vowed to mobilize ordinary Zimbabweans to contribute to a people
driven constitution.

"We will, beginning this very January, together with our traditional allies-
the labour and students movements,intensify the people's community meetings
and grass roots mobilisation for a genuine people driven constitution,"NCA
spokesperson, Madock Chivasa said.

He said his organization, which led the people to reject the 2000 draft
constitution was opposed to the current constitution set up, where the
government was taking a leading role.

The NCA together with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) and the
Zimbabwe National Students Movement (ZINASU) last year held a meeting in
which they opposed the current parliament led constitution making process
saying it would not result in a people driven constitution.

"The constitutional movement will in 2010 intensify campaigns for a genuine
people driven constitution making process. We remain guided by the historic
positions of the people of Zimbabwe over the years, reaffirmed at the 2nd
all people's convention at the Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza on Monday 27
July 2008. The Zimbabwe People's Charter remains our futurist repository,"
Chivasa said.

"We unreservedly recommit ourselves to the principles and resolutions
articulated 10 years ago by the National Working Peoples' Convention as well
as the first People's Constitutional Convention in 1999 and as outlined as
recently as 2008 in the Zimbabwe People's Charter. We hold that these
principles that outline what we know and believe to be a truly people driven
constitution making process hold true today and remain non-negotiable."

Last year the NCA rejected the government led constitution making process
recommending for an "independent, democratic constitutional reform to be
initiated.

In its resolution last year the NCA threatened to mobilize support for the
rejection of the constitution at the referendum if the current process did
not come up with people's expectations.

"We resolve that if the inclusive government and or parliament does not heed
our call to cease forthwith the constitutional reform process as outlined in
Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), we will actively seek a
rejection of any draft constitution produced by the same process through
campaigning for a NO vote should that draft be brought to a referendum," the
NCA with its allies said last year.

On January 12 the consultation phase will begin in the country's 10
provinces and will end after 65 working days.

The first all stakeholders conference in Harare last year was marred by
chaos and disturbances by supporters of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF
party but the leaders in the unity government Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara deploring the
disturbances.

Funding had also been delaying the constitution making process but the
government approved US 43 million dollars in the 2010 budget for
constitution making with donors pledging to support the process.