field: “All those organisations which have an interest in monitoring the process are free to deploy
their observers and COPAC shall issue them with special identity cards...”37 It was encouraging to
note that COPAC was willing to constructively engage with civic society on issues of mutual concern.
The Wednesday meetings have markedly improved the image of COPAC and enhanced its ability to
provide Civic Society and Zimbabweans in general, with information and feedback on the constitutional
reform process.
NON- COMPLIANCE
Since January 2010, there have been cases of non-compliance with Article 6 of the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) by the inclusive government. These cases can be categorised under logistical
problems, prohibitive environment, political party influences and public accountability.
Logistical problems: Over the six months under review, COPAC experienced logistical problems which
had negative bearings on the outreach meetings. The training of outreach teams, which began in
January, got off to a rocky start — including the fact that the initial training was flooded by people
who had attended the All Stakeholders Conference in July 2009, who were under the impression that
they were invited. COPAC however, managed to resolve this challenge.
The first day of the constitution making process outreach phase was marred by confusion amid
reports that COPAC failed to provide adequate resources to outreach teams. In the Mashonaland
East town of Marondera, on 23 June it was reported that the Outreach Teams had failed to conduct
meetings as COPAC had delayed the disbursement of Shona versions of the talking points. In addition,
recording equipment had not yet been availed to the teams.
In the initial phases, civics monitoring the Constitution making process (ZZZICOMP)38 reported that
most COPAC outreach teams were arriving at venues late, resulting in low attendance at meetings,
particularly in the Matabeleland provinces. Some opportunists were reported to have taken advantage
of these delays to address the people gathered and giving them their party positions, as was the
case in Mwenezi. COPAC justified this problem with the excuse that it was caused by the distance
travelled to fuelling stations in the different provinces and the places of residence of the outreach
teams. There were also reports that some of the teams were evicted from hotels because of nonpayment. For example, the Midlands team had to travel back to Harare for accommodation. Another
example was that on 27 July a meeting that was scheduled to take place at Batanai Hall in Zvishavane
was postponed as the COPAC team responsible for the meeting had to relocate from Gweru to
Zvishavane. It took the team about three hours to find accommodation in Zvishavane.
Prohibitive environment: The environment under which the meetings are being held remains prohibitive
owing to the continued existence of repressive laws which inhibit citizens’ full participation. Although
reports surfaced of the suspension of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Access to
Constitutional Parliamentary Committee co-chairperson Honourable Paul Mangwana at a press conference held on the 07/07/10 at COPACíS Head Office in
Milton Park.
37
ZZZICOMP (Zimbabwe Peace Project, Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Independent Constitutional Monitoring
Project) is an initiative to independently monitor the outreach process in all of its meetings at ward level.
38
CIVIL SOCIETY MONITORING MECHANISM (CISOMM)
SIX MONTH SHADOW REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INCLUSIVE OF ZIMBABWE
28
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