Radio Dialogue Giving you a voice
The parliamentary select committee (COPAC) has accused civil society organisations of hypocrisy and dishonesty in the selection of delegates expected to take part at the Second All Stakeholders’ Conference.
Civic organisations rejected the invitation by COPAC to list delegates because “of the circumstances within which the invitations are made, and the paddocking of civil society along political lines.”
COPAC had proposed that civic organisations delegates be enlisted through political parties which they are aligned to, a proposal which Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and the National Association for Non Governmental Organisations say is not acceptable as it compromises the objectivity of the delegates.
Speaking to Radio Dialogue on Monday, COPAC co-chairperson Paul Mangwana said civic organisations choose to distance themselves from parties when it’s convenient for yet they have at different occasions openly declared their affiliation to certain political groupings.
“It is known that there are civic groups aligned to ZANU PF and those affiliated top the MDC formations, it’s clear, they are wasting time,” he said.
Mangwana said the rationale behind political parties inviting delegates through civic groups is the need for all parties in the GPA to be fairly represented at the conference. He said they have also drawn a list of civic groups which they perceive to be neutral.
MDC COPAC co-chairperson Edward Mkhosi concurred with Mangwana saying civic groups have shown inconsistency as participated through political parties in the First All Stakeholders Conference held in July 2009.
He said COPAC has asked NANGO and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition to submit the names of delegates they want to participate in the meeting so they can audit it in comparison of the names they already have from these groupings. Mkhosi said the names they already have were submitted through the prior arrangement, that is, through political parties.
