Zimbabwe is on my mind...They will vote in a referendum on a draft Constitution this weekend!

On 16 March 2013, Zimbabweans will vote in a referendum on whether to adopt or reject a draft constitution for which the three major political parties have publicly endorsed a Yes vote.

The writing of a new constitution was one of the requirements of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which formed a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), following the violently contested presidential elections of 2008.

I was in Zimbabwe in 2000 with a delegation from the South African Parliament overseeing the referendum taking place at the time – that referendum was the beginning of a torrid time in Zim – praying this will mark the beginning of a new and better season for the people of Zimbabwe!

Extracts of the new Bill of Rights read:

* Right to life...an Act of Parliament must protect the lives of unborn children, and that Act must provide that pregnancy may be terminated only in accordance with that law.

* Marriage...persons of the same sex are prohibited from marrying each other.

Interesting!

After the referendum, Zimbabweans will vote in general elections slated for July, either under a new constitution or the current one.

Full observer mission to Zimbabwe in 2000

MP's observing in 2000