CPIA welcomes the start of the national consultation on the constitution.

As the process begins CPIA would like to reiterate its position. A constitution sets out the values of the people of a nation and it is also a compromise of the national consensus.

People must be given space and time to express their views freely. We have just convened a meeting of CPIA Provincial Coordinators who have informed us that the political environment in the provinces has tremendous improved and yet they have informed us that people are ignorant of the constitutional process that has begun. CPIA therefore appeals to the media to play its role in this process. The process cannot succeed without effective reporting by the media.

CPIA is establishing a monitoring mechanism over the process which is composed of three tiers:

1)   The Provincial Coordinators who will constantly issue reports to CPIA headquarters. 

2)   The Group of Eminent Persons which is responsible for providing and analyzing information at national level.

3)   The Advisory Group of Church Leaders which assist in analysing the vision and values of the nation and assist in advising what compromises are working in the process.

National Healing and Reconciliation

A constitution regardless of how good it is can never succeed if sections of the nation are not reconsidered. Therefore the process of National Healing and Reconciliation should be reconsidered. CPIA has been involved in this process. We sent teams to the provinces to collect information on what wounds our people have.

We have provided this information to our Eminent Persons who by the end of today will come up with a document which we will submit to the Organ of National Healing.  After submitting the document we will seek consultation with the Organ on the way forward.   

The Role of the Media

The Constitution-making process cannot succeed unless the media is effectively involved. The media is the mechanism through which our people are informed. We urge the media to play their role. History will judge us all on what we do to help our nation to go forward in peace and harmony.

At the end of the two processes we want to have a reconciled nation, governed accordingly to agreed principles and moving together for the development of our nation.