Duf (zimbabwe) Leaflet For The All Stakeholders Conference, July 13-14, 2009

Democratic United Front for a People-Driven Constitution (DUF) The People of Zimbabwe, now is our time! The right to write a constitution is a fundamental and inalienable human right as affirmed in the Zimbabwe People’s Charter. Only the people themselves can write their own constitution through a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly and not politicians through Parliament as under Art. 6 of the GPA. Parliament is the child not the mother of a constitution. The people have suffered for too long. The people are hungry! Over 70 social movements, organisations and trade unions, organised under DUF are spearheading the fight for a constitution-making process which is: democratic, participatory, gender-balanced, people-driven and reverses the past attacks by neoliberal, free-market, capitalist, patriarchal and political authoritarian structures on ordinary people, women and democracy. DUF says no to the neoliberal STERP (ESAP 2) of the GNU but calls for a welfare state. DUF is not a political party but a constitutional alliance comprised of all progressives regardless of political party affiliation, DUF`s position is that people should join the current constitution-making process, but under protest and pull out of the process should the following demands not be met and mobilise for mass resistance against the fake process. • THE PEOPLE demand a constitution written and adopted by themselves through democratically elected and gender –balanced representatives, including from the Diaspora, in a democratic Stake-Holders Conference and referendum, and not one written by politicians through the Select Committee, Parliament or Parties. Parliament MUST not amend the draft constitution. • THE PEOPLE demand, that a new constitution must include legally enforceable and state funded socio-economic rights for workers, women, the unemployed, disabled, traders-informal sector, residents, youths, children, liberation war veterans, ex-detainees, chimbwidos, mujibhas, healthAIDS/HIV, education, water, housing, transport, land & rural development • THE PEOPLE demand that the country’s natural resources and wealth, including ngoda (diamonds), gold, platinum and strategic businesses producing basic and essential goods be under public and democratic control and not be privatised or commercialised but be used to fund the socio-economic rights of the people. Cancel all odious debts and use the money to fund education, food, health and social security. Zimbabwe is not for sale to the rich and politicians! It’s our country too! • THE PEOPLE reject a constitution-making process based on the Kariba Draft Constitution because: it was written secretively by 6 individuals; it over-protects the private property of the rich whilst excluding the rights of the poor, especially socio-economic rights; it retains the undemocratic executive presidency and is a duplicate of the rejected 2000 draft constitution. • THE PEOPLE demand a constitution that guarantees full political democracy including: free and fair elections under the new constitution; separation of powers; elected officials subject to votes of recall; participatory democracy; truth and reconciliation based on transitional justice against human rights perpetrators and compensation for victims; an end to the executive presidency; a democratically accountable judiciary; decentralisation of power to provinces and local authorities; gender parity in all decision-making positions; rights to vote and dual citizenship for the Diaspora; the full rights of citizens to: strike, boycott, demonstrate, petition, assemble and to defend their rights and the Constitution by all means necessary. Nothing for Us Without Us! Our Country is not for Sale! Another Zimbabwe is Possible! It’s Our Country Too!Penga Murombo! Qina Myanga! The People Shall Write Their Own Constitution! Join DUF now! e-mail at: [email protected]; or Tel. 04 – 704209 or Cell/ 0912908847