The people need to know

At the symbolic level, it demonstrated that Zimbabweans have the capacity to shape their own future. Since Independence in 1980, we had depended on the Lancaster House Constitution, which in essence was a compromise emanating from conflicting positions between political-military foes in the form of the nationalist movements and the Rhodesian Front led by Ian Douglas Smith.

Even though the people’s charter was amended 19 times by the Zanu (PF) regime, that did not take away the fact that it was not a product of democratic input from Zimbabweans. Thus, the adoption of the new constitution is a landmark achievement that reflects, to a large extent, the will and preference of Zimbabweans.

Second, by and large, the new charter is much better than the Lancaster House Constitution. It articulates the Bill of Rights more clearly, brings in more solid checks and balances in issues relating to governance, and is also sensitive to the wellbeing of the generality of Zimbabweans.

Third, it brings with it a desirable psychological impact, in that it gives us hope for a new era – and marks a significant turning point in our nation. It signifies a dramatic departure from a traumatic past marked by flagrant human rights abuses and political excesses,and births new hope for the future. This is the point at which we turn from looking backwards into the abyss to look upwards and forwards to a brighter, better future.

Debate has already begun regarding the new constitution as a sustainable route to a comfortable future. The major issue so far is around the creation of a culture of constitutionalism, whereby all and sundry would adhere to the letter and spirit of the new supreme law. Constitutionalism, definitely, is the key to a better Zimbabwe. All will depend on whether our political and security leaders adhere to it.

Yet there is one component of constitutionalism that has not received the attention it deserves. This is a discourse on how the ordinary person must be empowered to know the contents of the constitution as our template for our fundamental rights. Readers will concur that not enough was done to educate the people on what the new charter says, especially given the short time-frame allocated to awareness campaigns before the referendum.

We therefore suggest that there should be a fresh, more wide-ranging and penetrative campaign to educate people on the contents of the constitution. In this regard, government should create synergies with political parties, relevant constitutional commissions and civil society to ensure that the people have a basic knowledge of the cornerstones of the charter.

This is vital so that citizens can take appropriate action whenever the constitution is violated. That empowerment is essential for constitutionalism. A well-informed people is good for democratisation.