National Constitutional Assembly
Encyclopedia
The National Constitutional Assembly is a non-governmental organisation formed in 1997 as a grouping of individual Zimbabwean citizens and civic
organisations including, labour movement
s, student and youth
groups, women groups, churches, business groups and human rights
organisations. It is led by chairperson Lovemore Madhuku
, and other important staff includes programmes coordinator Patience Nhliziyo. The organisation has historically been closely allied to the Movement for Democratic Change.
, by Zimbabwean individual citizens and civic organisations, amongst which were trade union
s, opposition
parties, student groups, women’s groups, representatives of the informal sector, and church groups. The NCA was inspired by the popular uprising of the 1990s, and came to see the present constitution
as an ideal umbrella cause in pursuing an array of political, social and economical causes. The constitution was seen by the NCA as particularly problematic in that it allowed too much power to be vested in the hands of the president, as well as it being a product of the outgoing British
colonial administration, where several clauses have expired because they were only meant to be utilized for a certain amount of years.
; to foster, protect and deepen a culture of human rights and respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe and to implement, incorporate and protect human rights. NCA carries out grassroots
campaigns
, informing people about rights-related issues such as the need for an inclusive, broad-based constitution; facilitates debates; organises meetings, seminars and debate workshop
s; issues public statements; monitors legal, political and social developments in Zimbabwe; publishes reports on human-rights related topics such as the plight of women in Zimbabwe; and engages in local and international networking. NCA also organises demonstrations and civic education. The campaigns and other activities of the NCA have seemingly resulted in a more widespread awareness of constitutional issues among the Zimbabwean population.
The NCA has five branches: The Congress (legislative branch), the Annual Consultative Assembly (executive branch), the National Task Force, the Region, and the constituency. The Annual Consultative Assembly is the supreme governing organ of the NCA. The NCA changed its original structure in 2006, from having an Annual General Meeting
(AGM) as its major decision-making entity, to having a Congress.
The congress meets every 5 years, and is made up of representatives from the various constituencies of the NCA, chairpersons, secretaries, youth representatives, women’s representatives and committee members. The Task Force
of the NCA is akin to an executive committee
or board
, and deals with the decision-making process in-between congresses, based on annual consultative assemblies. The institutional members of the NCA are composed of other organisations, such as political parties and woman’s-, youth- and students’ organisations. NCA also has many individual members. Membership fees have recently been suggested as a source of income – one has generally been able to become a member by simply filling out a form. The organisation is believed to have a support base of up to 500.000 individuals, although this number includes MDC structures, as there is no national membership database.
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
organisations including, labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
s, student and youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
groups, women groups, churches, business groups and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organisations. It is led by chairperson Lovemore Madhuku
Lovemore Madhuku
Lovemore Madhuku was born on July 20, 1966. He is married to Annamercy and has two children, a daughter Tendai and a son Nyasha .- Education :...
, and other important staff includes programmes coordinator Patience Nhliziyo. The organisation has historically been closely allied to the Movement for Democratic Change.
History
The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) was founded in 1997, and officially launched in 1998 at the University of ZimbabweUniversity of Zimbabwe
The University of Zimbabwe in Harare, is the oldest and largest university in Zimbabwe. It was founded through a special relationship with the University of London and it opened its doors to its first students in 1952. The university has ten faculties offering a wide variety of degree programmes...
, by Zimbabwean individual citizens and civic organisations, amongst which were trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, opposition
Opposition
Opposition may mean or refer to:* Opposition , a term describing the position of a celestial body* Opposition , a term describing the position of the kings relative to each other...
parties, student groups, women’s groups, representatives of the informal sector, and church groups. The NCA was inspired by the popular uprising of the 1990s, and came to see the present constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
as an ideal umbrella cause in pursuing an array of political, social and economical causes. The constitution was seen by the NCA as particularly problematic in that it allowed too much power to be vested in the hands of the president, as well as it being a product of the outgoing British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial administration, where several clauses have expired because they were only meant to be utilized for a certain amount of years.
NCA as an organisation
The aims of the NCA are to help bring about the initiation of an inclusive and broad-based constitution-making process in ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
; to foster, protect and deepen a culture of human rights and respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe and to implement, incorporate and protect human rights. NCA carries out grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
campaigns
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
, informing people about rights-related issues such as the need for an inclusive, broad-based constitution; facilitates debates; organises meetings, seminars and debate workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s; issues public statements; monitors legal, political and social developments in Zimbabwe; publishes reports on human-rights related topics such as the plight of women in Zimbabwe; and engages in local and international networking. NCA also organises demonstrations and civic education. The campaigns and other activities of the NCA have seemingly resulted in a more widespread awareness of constitutional issues among the Zimbabwean population.
The NCA has five branches: The Congress (legislative branch), the Annual Consultative Assembly (executive branch), the National Task Force, the Region, and the constituency. The Annual Consultative Assembly is the supreme governing organ of the NCA. The NCA changed its original structure in 2006, from having an Annual General Meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
(AGM) as its major decision-making entity, to having a Congress.
The congress meets every 5 years, and is made up of representatives from the various constituencies of the NCA, chairpersons, secretaries, youth representatives, women’s representatives and committee members. The Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
of the NCA is akin to an executive committee
Executive Committee
Executive Committee may refer to:* The Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland, a government body in the United Kingdom 1921–1972* The Northern Ireland Executive, a government body in the United Kingdom...
or board
Board
-Flat surface:* Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat** See :Category:Engineered wood** Cutting board** Sounding board, of a musical instrument* Cardboard* Paperboard*Corrugated fiberboard*Fiberboard*Particle board, also known as chipboard...
, and deals with the decision-making process in-between congresses, based on annual consultative assemblies. The institutional members of the NCA are composed of other organisations, such as political parties and woman’s-, youth- and students’ organisations. NCA also has many individual members. Membership fees have recently been suggested as a source of income – one has generally been able to become a member by simply filling out a form. The organisation is believed to have a support base of up to 500.000 individuals, although this number includes MDC structures, as there is no national membership database.