In
this
edition,
Communications
Specialist,
Tapiwa
Zivira
interviews
Dzikamai
Bere,
National
Director
at
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Association.
During
the
interview,
Bere
highlighted
the
importance
of
the
expanded
Bill
of
Rights
for
their
organization,
as
it
includes
all
generations
of
human
rights,
including
social,
economic,
environmental,
and
cultural
rights.
He
also
emphasized
the
need
to
defend
the
Constitution
against
threats,
as
politicians
may
try
to
tear
it
apart.
Bere
mentioned
the
Hands
Off
the
People’s
Constitution
campaign
that
was
launched
in
2021
as
a
way
to
organize
and
protect
the
Constitution.
Bere
also
discussed
the
principle
of
separation
of
powers
and
the
importance
of
checks
and
balances
in
the
three
arms
of
government:
legislature,
executive,
and
judiciary.
He
stressed
the
need
for
these
arms
to
be
independent
of
each
other
to
prevent
abuse
of
power.
Additionally,
Bere
highlighted
the
sovereignty
of
the
people
of
Zimbabwe,
which
is
established
in
the
preamble
of
the
constitution
and
linked
to
the
supremacy
of
the
document.
An
interesting
point
raised
by
Bere
was
the
reminder
of
the
sovereignty
of
the
people
in
the
establishment
of
each
arm
of
government.
For
example,
in
section
8.8.1
of
the
constitution,
it
states
that
executive
authority
derives
from
the
people
of
Zimbabwe.
This
serves
as
a
reminder
that
the
power
ultimately
resides
in
the
hands
of
the
people.
Bere
also
spoke
about
the
importance
of
the
Bill
of
Rights
in
the
electoral
process,
stating
that
elections
should
not
just
be
about
positions,
but
also
delivering
on
the
obligations
set
out
in
the
constitution.
To
emphasize
this,
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Association
launched
the
People’s
Human
Rights
Manifesto
in
April
2023,
outlining
ten
key
asks
based
on
the
Bill
of
Rights.
This
event
was
attended
by
five
major
political
parties
in
Zimbabwe.
Post
published
in:
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