Rights group slams constitutional reform process

A report by the civil liberties group African Rights has questioned the credibility of Zimbabwe’s government-appointed consitutional reform process.

“If it is to be meaningful, consitutional reform must produce accountability at all levels of the government, and reduce the political and economic advantages now enjoyed by ZANU-PF,” the report released on Friday said.

The report, ‘Zimbabwe: In the Party’s Interest?’, noted that although there is broad agreement on the need for reform, the government’s decision to go ahead with a process “regarded as unacceptable by many civil organisations and almost all the opposition parties is unfortunate.” It pointed out that members of civic groups and political parties in the rival National Constitutional Assembly have refused to participate in the government’s review commission because its findings would be subject to presidential approval.

“The domination of the commission by ZANU-PF members and supporters is a major handicap that will inevitably compromise the work of the commission,” the report alleged. “As long as members of the ruling party promote ethnic or racial divisions; license the accumulation of wealth by a growing elite and turn a blind eye to corruption, they will obstruct necessary change.”