Civil society in Zimbabwe: The National Constitutional Assembly: Emergence and role in Zimbabwe’s democratization

This study addresses the role of civil society in Zimbabwe‟s democratization with particular reference to the NCA. It is primarily focussed on the development of the NCA, its role with respect to its relations with political parties, mainly ZANU PF and the MDC. The paper looks at the strategies applied by the NCA during the course of the struggle for a new constitution, a political and citizen rights characterized by broader public participation in government processes. The regression of ZANU PF into a consolidated authoritarian regime, its flirtation with liberal political economics to avert a potential economic crisis led to the rise of the NCA as an umbrella bringing together labour, students, academics and NGOs, a creating civil society front which did not only give birth to a strong opposition political party, but also contested the legitimacy of the government, demanded a new constitution and collaborated with the opposition political parties in efforts to throw the ruling party out of power. The paper analyzes whether there is a connection between the role of the NCA and democratization, why the nurture of democracy demand by the NCA does not seem attainable given its current weakness and deference to the MDC. It argues that in the interim Zimbabwe seems poised for a negotiated political transition which is elite and exclusive, instead of a process where civil society take centre stage, it is political parties and political elites who are key players