Constitution Outreach Meetings Flop on First Day in Bulawayo

WASHINGTON —  The Constitution Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) says its outreach programs to educate people on the draft charter, which kicked-off Monday, were not successful in Bulawayo province, as only one person turned up in Killarney Hall and seven people showed up in Lockview Primary School in the city’s Imbizo district for the meetings.

COPAC co-deputy chairman Believe Gaule said the provincial leadership has scheduled an urgent meeting Tuesday to map the way forward.

Mr. Gaule said COPAC placed advertisements in the local Chronicle newspaper in the hope that the public may turn in large numbers.

Gaule said advertising the meetings in the press may have resulted in the low turn-out because some people do not have access to newspapers.

He added that Monday meetings will be rescheduled for the beginning of next month.

Interview with Believe Gaule

VOA Studio 7 could not independently verify attendance in other provinces in the country but COPAC co-chairman Douglas Mwonzora said the meetings were successful with people requesting exact time for the commencements of the programs.

Ambrose Sibindi, organizing secretary for the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, said COPAC should involve his organization, as they have structures that successfully co-ordinate meetings.

Mr. Sibindi said similar meetings held by political parties in the city’s Pumula suburb and the City Hall were successful, which shows that COPAC did not adequately publicize the meetings.

Interview with Ambrose Sibindi

He added that his organisation has started alerting Bulawayo residents about simiilar Tuesday meetings scheduled for Barham Green and the Small City Hall.