ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a constitutional history of post-independence Zimbabwe. The Global Political Agreement provided a legal framework for the incorporation of participatory mechanisms in Zimbabwe's constitution-making process. The chapter focuses on the mechanisms that were applied to ensure public participation and on the tactics of interference by the authoritarian state apparatus, paying close attention to the distinct roles of different actors. It analyses the drafting process, which was characterised by party bargaining as well as political stalemates during large parts of the negotiations. Major civil society organisations made it clear that despite the signs of constitutional reform, the process could not be left solely in the hands of political parties. It discusses the Second All Stakeholders Conference and the national referendum, that were both envisioned to ensure that the public has decisive influence on the outcome. The war veterans and the Zanu militia worked closely with the security services to suppress meaningful public participation in the public outreach program.
