Another participant, however, responded that this suggestion might not recognise the fact that the different opinions held by the civics might be incommensurate and do not therefore allow for the possibility of a common approach. Any proposed new constitution will require a two-thirds majority in parliament; in other words, the backing of ZANU PF. The MDC will thus realise that the Bill that comes before parliament will need to be one acceptable to ZANU PF to secure its passage and political compromises will be made - possibly even before any draft is put to the public in a referendum. For this reason, the constitution will not be people driven but a compromise arrived at between the political parties. For example, the people have already indicated the desire that there be a two term limit on presidential office, which would preclude the candidacy of Mugabe at the next election. This is unacceptable to ZANU PF and will thus not only be absent from any draft, but is not likely to be debated with any rigour for fear of annoying ZANU PF and causing the process to collapse. Accordingly, the constitution making process is fatally flawed and the outreach programmes to assess the desires of the people irrelevant at best and farcial at worst. Similarly, any transitional justice programme under the government's national healing body cannot address the prime concerns of the people for truth telling, justice, and reparations. This would be completely unacceptable to ZANU PF. It is significant that both the MDC and ZANU PF have referred to the constitution making process and national healing initiatives as evidence that the GNU is working. Accordingly both processes are mere window dressing and part of the “make believe politics” referred to above. To participate in the process is thus far from harmless. It supports and lends credibility to the policy of make believe politics to which civics should be opposed. Furthermore, the constitution making process is sapping human and financial resources away from where they are actually needed and diverting attention from the real issue; that is how to take steps to facilitate a free, fair and violence free election. The MDC holds considerable influence over the flow of donor money. Having persuaded the donors to participate in make believe politics, money is being channelled into the constitution making process and civics are complying in order to have funding proposals approved and as a matter of institutional survival, regardless of their actual view of the constitution making process. If this second analysis is correct, the possibility of a common front on participation in the constitution making process is not possible, as the view point seeks to actively divert energies from this process to something considered more “real” and worthwhile. It was suggested that the donors had contracted what was referred to as the MDC disease of “GNUitis”. The donors thus appeared to a large extent to be setting the agenda, and an agenda which was not one that was required. This went to the extent of organisations such as the UNDP duplicating, and, to some extent, thus commandeering projects already being undertaken by the civics. One suggested solution to this problem - convening a donor conference to attend to the issues - faced the problem that the civics needed to approach the donors with a single view, which does not seem possible given the schism outlined. The alternative was for different caucuses to approach the donors, highlighting the fractured nature of the civics. Recommendations • For improved functioning of the Interim Government o o 8 The roles and responsibilities of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries need to be clearly defined and implemented, especially as service delivery resides with the Permanent Secretaries. Safeguards need to be put in place to ensure that the existing space for debate and consultation remains open and any attempts to close it are stopped immediately