35 Certain themes kept coming up over and over again during the small group work and the discussions: the need for a new Constitution, the unaccountability of the executive, the use of state structures to implement repressive laws, and the disregard for the rule of law. In addition with recommendations dealing with these issues, the victims also had specific solutions to the five different areas dealt with above. With regard to consensus and participation in self-government, it was stated that a new constitution that limits the power of the president is vital as this will lead to a non-partisan police force and electoral supervisory commission. There must be massive consultation with all stakeholders on this issue. In the meantime, the laws of the country, particularly the Constitution, must be upheld and enforced, and laws that are unconstitutional should be repealed, especially the electoral laws, POSA, and AIPPA. There must be a lot more emphasis placed on education, because, the more educated people are, the greater their participation. Training on the importance of participation needs to be done at an early age. There is need to encourage dialogue, and this should be done from grassroots level in small communities. The platform for dialogue must first be created because the political climate is not currently conducive to public discussion. In the dialogues, there must be encouragement for greater participation by vulnerable and marginalised groups like the youth, women, and the disabled. Furthermore, there must be a priority quota for women in parliament and other positions of governance in order to encourage their participation, and this should apply to other marginalised or vulnerable groups. There should be more civic education programmes specifically targeted at them. NGO’s and churches should play a greater part in educating people on what is going on around them especially in rural areas where people are ignorant. There must be peaceful demonstrations through education and building consciousness among the people by a strong civic society. There is need for unity and consensus so that when a demonstration is called not only 200 people take part, but 20 000 as has been the case in Zimbabwe. Citizens must participate throughout the country. The message must be loud and very clear. There is need for endurance in these demonstrations. There is need for civic organisations to network and work with each other. In Masvingo when they once had a demonstration and a police dog bit one person, the whole crowd dispersed. Citizens must be more resilient. The government however does not want to make the political environment conducive, and the NGO BILL shows this. Government is actually limiting political space in preparation for the next elections. Government must put up democratic structures to encourage participation by citizens; these structures at the moment are prohibitive and deliberately mystified. Regional and international pressure should be put on the government to recognise democracy. In regard to obtaining support from the international and regional community, the participants felt that the victims of OVT detailing the human rights abuses should write a petition to the United Nations, and other victims should be encouraged not to be afraid and to come out in the open against violence. As they pointed out here, “Now that they have already experienced the effects of violence there is no reason to stop fighting, as we are already sacrificial lambs”. The victims stated that, for Zimbabweans to achieve a truly popular selection of its decision makers, there must be a change in the electoral system. There must be wide consultations to hear how people want the system to run, and there must be an independent electoral system and supervisory commission. Polling stations must be increased to ensure that everyone can vote, and there should be uniformity in voting, with the security forces not voting before everyone else because it is believed that this is where the rigging takes place. Transparent ballot boxes are needed, independent election monitors and supervisors preferably from the United Nations should be allowed into the country, and voter education IDASA: Zimbabwe at the Cross-Roads: Views of Zimbabwean citizens on democracy and transitional justice.