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SA facilitators expected as constitutional process stalls
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
August 22, 2012

http://www.swradioafrica.com/2012/08/27/sa-facilitators-expected-as-constitutional-process-stalls/

The chief facilitator on the Zimbabwe crisis, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, or representatives from his facilitation team, are expected in Harare by the end of the week, to try and resolve the current crisis that has stalled the constitution reform exercise.

This is according to Nhlanhla Dube, spokesperson for the MDC-N, who insisted that their party will not allow any more concessions to ZANU PF over the draft constitution.

Amendments proposed by ZANU PF were "received with great disappointment" and rejected by the National Executive of the MDC-T, after an extensive meeting that was held Friday at their Harvest House headquarters in Harare.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora told reporters that the national executive would not accept a new draft charter, meaning the draft agreed to by all parties and submitted to the principals is the version that should go to the second All Stakeholders Conference and be voted on in a referendum.

The ZANU PF politburo met again for an extraordinary session on Saturday to decide on the way forward, following rejection of their amended draft charter by the two MDC formations. After the meeting the Politburo said it had endorsed the amendments and that the changes were 'final and non negotiable.'

But Nhlanhla Dube said they would "stick to their guns" and not agree to renegotiate the draft charter which they already adopted. "Zimbabweans can be assured we will speak for them and let ZANU PF know we will not negotiate all over again," Dube insisted.

He added that the MDC formations had conceded enough during negotiations that led to the draft currently in the hands of the principals. "We were told ZANU PF decided to leave it to the principals. We hope they agree to move forward with the current draft," Dube said.

Asked whether this is the time when a facilitator would be needed, Dube said: "We have indications that one form or the other of President Zuma's team will be here this week. That should help because SADC wants to move forward."

According to the Herald newspaper, the politburo was also supposed to tackle the issue of by-elections that are pending in over 38 constituencies, where vacancies exist due to deaths or expulsion of legislators that have occurred since 2008.

Robert Mugabe faces a Friday deadline imposed by the Supreme Court last month to call for the by-elections.

We were not able to contact the MDC-T spokesperson for comments.

SW Radio Africa is Zimbabwe's Independent Voice and broadcasts on Short Wave 4880 KHz in the 60m band.

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