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MDC
leader meets civic society
Batsirayi Muranje, ZimOnline
October 26, 2007
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2223
HARARE - Opposition Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday
met civic leaders to brief them on ongoing dialogue with the ruling
ZANU PF party as he tries to pacify a restive civic society, which
has heavily criticized the MDC for supporting controversial government
constitutional reforms.
Sources who attended
the meeting told ZimOnline that the opposition leader assured civic
leaders he would regularly brief them and consult them as the dialogue
agenda moves to other issues such as the oppressive security, media
and electoral laws.
Relations between the
fragmanted MDC and its civic partners strained last month after
the opposition party supported a constitutional amendment Bill that
among other key provisions paves the way for President Robert Mugabe
to handpick a successor.
Civic groups angrily
accused the opposition of reneging on commitment to push for wholesale
constitutional reforms to produce a new and democratic constitution
they say is a prerequisite to any effort to resolve Zimbabwe's political
and economic crisis.
"We told Tsvangirai
that we were not happy with the idea of piecemeal Constitutional
amendments. We also told him we were not happy with the issue being
peddled that the opposition had agreed on a new constitution with
ZANU PF in a process that does not involve the people," the
source said.
"He reassured us
that this was only a transitional phase to allow for a free and
fair election and that the MDC would make sure the people are involved
in the crafting of their own constitution."
Tsvangirai confirmed
meeting the civic leaders but refused to shed more light on the
nature of the discussions.
However, ZimOnline is
reliably informed that Tsvangirai pledged to involve civic society
by consulting them on every stage of the South African-led talks.
Lovemore Madhuku,
the chairperson of the National
Constitutional Assembly that has been very critical of the MDC's
stance on Constitution
of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 18, did not attend the meeting
but sent an emissary.
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