Resolutions of the Commemorative Meeting of Four Years of the Zimbabwe People’s Charter: Assessing the Challenges and Re-connecting Civil Society’s Democratic Principles with Zimbabwe’s Future

9 February 2012

We, members of civil society organisations and citizens of Zimbabwe here gathered on 09 February 2012, four years after we committed ourselves to the values and principles outlined in the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter on February 9, 2008 in full knowledge of the political, social and economic challenges that our country Zimbabwe continues to face in 2012, and with this statement of re-commitment to  the same values that are in the Zimbabwe People’s Charter, hereby resolve the following:

1. That members here present pledge to rejuvenate and give life to the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter (ZPC) through the mobilization and bringing together of Zimbabweans who subscribe to its founding principles as well as building provincial chapters and forming strategic alliances and networks at community, national, regional and international levels.

2. Among other principal activities, participants to this meeting will act to create space and give voice to the ZPC fundamental founding principles, specifically through  playing an objective watchdog role on all the policies of the inclusive government  and any other government of the day;

3. That members here present commit to promoting accountability and transparency within the socio-economic, political processes of Zimbabwe at community and national level s so as to ensure that public responsibilities are executed by any government of the day to the satisfaction of the majority of Zimbabweans.

4.  In the interest of the realization of the ideals of the Peoples Charter,  members here present  endorse the interim Committee of the Peoples Charter to undertake activities such as information and publicity activities, public lectures and other similar activities that create and increase awareness among the majority of Zimbabweans of the ideals, principles and aspirations for which the Charter was formed and seek to champion today and in the future.

5. Members here present and organizations and individuals that were present at the genesis of the Charter should recommit to the Zimbabwe People’s Charter on or before the 29^th February 2012.

6. Organizations and individuals that were not present in February 2008 but are committed to the values and principles enunciated in the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter are very welcome to participate.

a)  In this instance, re commitment will be taken to mean the integration of the Peoples Charter’s values and principles in each subscribing member in their activities and work at national, provincial and district levels of Zimbabwe

b)  Re-commitment is also taken to mean the measurement of the performance of any Zimbabwean government of the day on the basis of the values and principles outlined in the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter.

7. That members here present agree that the  founding working premise of the Committee of the Zimbabwe Peoples’ Charter (CPC) shall be the pursuit of the realization of the societal objectives enunciated by the Zimbabwe People’s Charter adopted at the Peoples Convention on 9 February 2008 in Harare, Zimbabwe for which we are gathered to commemorate four years of existence today.

8. Until such a time when a substantive committee has been put in place, the current working committee (group) will continue to work with all who were in attendance at this meeting held on 09 February 2012 and those who gave notice of their inability to attend through coordinating activities of the CPC

Participating organizations

National Constitutional Assembly

Radio Dialogue

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

Media Institute of Southern Africa

Media Alliance

Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe

Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe

Youth Forum

Media Centre

Platform for Youth Develeopment

Youth Alliance for Democracy

Zimbabwe  Congress of Trade Unions

Zimbabwe National Students Union

Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Election Support Network

ZimRights

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe

Revolutionary Workers Group

Institute for Young Women Development

Zimbabwe Community Development Trust

ZiMCODD

Humanitarian Information Centre

Women Coalition

Commemorating the 9th of February 2008.

By Kudakwashe Chakabva

On the 9th of February 2008 at least 3500 self conscious Zimbabweans met and discussed the state of affairs of their country. The gathering known as the People’s Convention conceived a document which was a Zimbabwe people’s projection of their country free of oppression, an expression of their wishes and aspirations –the People’s Charter. It was an epoch making event that served to consolidate and unify the different civic organizations into a principled alliance based on a coherent political philosophy and a shared vision of an alternative and radically different socio-eco-political arrangement.

This year ,we the people of Zimbabwe shall mark four years after crafting and signing this so important document. It is thus imperative that we seek to locate the significance of those pledges we made to one another and make them a bar of reason upon which our current political realities can be put to test and justify themselves especially now that our unity of purpose seem so fragmented yet the demands of the historic people’s convention have not been met even half way.

A number of events which directly intersect with the our demands, these include the 2008 elections, the creation of the current GNU, the constitutional reform etc have taken place and continue taking place yet often we have failed to locate ourselves and make a collective and concrete response. The one thing that we have failed to reflect on is that the enemy is neither withholding his offenses nor getting weaker because of our fragmentation or negation of principle, he is actually getting stronger by the day nor as result our struggle’s victory continues to be deferred. 

It is of essence that we remind each other that the purpose of that gathering was to affirm our conviction of wants based on the belief that our struggle was and is not against a group of individuals but against a system of administration and all its machinations, it is a struggle aimed at ushering in a new political culture of accountability, liberty, equality, tolerance, etc. It is statement of truth that our demands have not been met hence the charter should still shape our struggle

As we mark the four year anniversary lets remind each other of the great tasks ahead of us: that the mere knowledge or craving for democratic rule should not make us content , far more important should be a principled program for its creation and actions are shaped by the shared common belief. 

Because of this, the struggle should not be fought wholly as responses to the actions of the regime rather we the people should seek to set the pace for the establishment, as the danger in following an adversary’s actions lays in the creation of politics of expedience characterized by deals not principles. 

The fundamentals of such a struggle include among other things not just an alerted mass of individuals but a politically mass conscious citizenry which is able to unpack, understand and implement an abstract political idea into reality on the ground. This way the political ideas not the prevailing circumstances shapes the individual’s political conduct and leaders become accountable for their actions. Such is the political terrain that is established when thousands of individuals gather to craft a document projecting a future as the one envisioned by the Zimbabwe People’s Charter. In a sense these shared ideals becomes the mind of a nation in a struggle.

It is vital that we realize that political parties are inclined to compromises even at the cost of fundamentals but principles do not .We must not expect the architects of the present set up who are after all beneficiaries of the decay to arrive at their own accord at a change of orientation out of their own free will to modify their present attitude but we should act to impel them do so, for the one reason that it is our country too.

Zimbabwe commemorates Four years of the Zimbabwe People’s Charter

The Committee of the Peoples’ Charter will this year be hosting the inaugural fourth anniversary since the adoption of the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter on the 9^th of February 2012 in Harare. The historic event will be held under the theme: Four Years of the Zimbabwe People’s Charter: Assessing the Challenges and  Re-connecting Civil Society’s Democratic Principles with Zimbabwe’s Future 

The self-introspective commemorations will bring together several civic society organizations varying from the youth groups, workers, churches, media, students, women and individuals who are signatory to the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter which was adopted on the 9^th of February 2008.

  

Given its historic nature, a variety of activities are scheduled for the day which includes, a public lecture, public meeting and discussions reflecting on the four years since the Charter was adopted.

The CPC is a political, economic, social and democratic accountability mechanism established in the interests of the people of Zimbabwe. 

The founding premise of the Committee of the Peoples Charter shall be the pursuit of the realization of the societal objectives enunciated by the Zimbabwe People’s Charter adopted at the Peoples Convention in Harare, Zimbabwe.

We will continue bringing the Zimbabwean government of the day to account in relation to the national economy, gender equality, youth empowerment, a democratic political environment, free and fair elections, constitutional reform, media freedom and Zimbabwe’s national value system.

Issued by the CPC media and publicity committee on the 6^th of February 2012, Harare, Zimbabwe.

contact: committee@zimbabwepeoplescharter.org,

www.peoplescharter.blogspot.com



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