In our election email newsletter yesterday we made a few suggestions as to what we (at Kubatana) would like to see change immediately in a free Zimbabwe. We know that there is also the Big Stuff that needs urgent attention (education, the health sector, rehabilitation of the police force etc) but here are some quick fire requests:

1. No more presidential portraits: let’s stop deifying our leaders
2. The President of Zimbabwe does not need an ambulance, 2 jeeps full of troops, several accompanying cars and ear splitting sirens when he travels through the city
3. Seventh Street is public space: this street should not be sealed off from the public between 6pm and 6am – we need openness
4. How about a Youth Parliament to facilitate the expression of Zimbabwean youth in national matters
5. More independent and community radio stations ~ free the airwaves and let dissent and debate flourish
6. Re-claim camouflage: some of us look cute in camo pants
7. Design new ballot papers for the next Presidential and Parliamentary elections ~ “none of the above” should be an acceptable expression of choice
8. Create an environment where the military and police don’t bully their way to the front of queues, or demand free travel on public transport
9. Free medical treatment for the aged, and orphans
10. No more bearers! We want “proper” money
11. The new president shouldn’t “hijack” our national carrier for state business, nor delay flights due to tardiness
12. Limit the term of office of the President
13. A new constitution within a reasonable time of the next President taking office
14. Specific respect for the rights of minorities

Our subscribers have also weighed in suggesting the following:

• I would like the new Zimbabwe to have an independent electoral commission that is non partisan that is not appointed by the President, preferably with a few members appointed from other bodies such as the Pan African movement.
• Where the government holds meetings where they actually listen to the will of the people and public meetings where the government can obtain suggestions from the public regarding national challenges so that government becomes truly participatory.
• Better checks and balances and accountability for all government officials.
• Annual government score cards by the public, academics and journalists as seen in S. African Mail and Guardian. – Where joy rather than fear rules and people are praised for the good works they do for the country.
• The government should have only 15 ministers.
• The new Independence Day should be 29th March to reflect the day Mugabe was voted out.
• 11 March 2009 should be a national commemoration of the day the police cracked down on Morgan Tsvangirai and members of civil society.
• Our new constitution should have a clause disqualifying people from standing as MPs who have been guilty of inciting the electorate to violence and using hate speech as well as committing actual physical harm.
• Reasonable income tax.
• Fair land distribution.
• Free medication for the terminally ill.
• More manufacturing and increased exports.

This entry was posted on April 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 am by Bev Clark and is filed under Elections 2008, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.