Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Zimbabwe: Principals agree to let Copac deal with Constitution
Tichaona Sibanda, SW Radio Africa
September 20, 2012

http://allafrica.com/stories/201209210374.html

Principals to the GPA have agreed to let COPAC deal with all issues concerning the draft constitution, a move seen by analysts as a climb down by ZANU PF.

Following a stalemate when the former ruling party demanded amendments to the draft produced by COPAC on 18th July, ZANU PF suggested only the Principals had the power to sit down and unlock the logjam.

This was dismissed by both the MDC formations, who then informed SADC mediator Jacob Zuma of the deadlock. Not long after that the regional Troika body announced it would convene a special summit on Zimbabwe in Tanzania next month, to discuss the issue.

On Wednesday, Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara met in Harare and agreed that the COPAC draft will be the only document used during the forthcoming second all stakeholders' conference.

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us the COPAC Select Committee spent Thursday locked in a meeting in Harare, trying to work out the modalities for the second all stakeholders meeting.

'I think ZANU PF were forced to back down after realizing the MDC formations were not going to be bullied into agreeing to amend the draft. Analysts believe they were trying to test the waters so they've realized, for the process to be completed, they had to withdraw their demands,' Muchemwa said.

Meanwhile, the government will from Monday roll out pre-referendum activities to inform the public on the contents of the draft Constitution.

The state controlled Herald newspaper reports that Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga said legal officers from the ministry would simplify the draft, to help people make decisions from an informed position during the referendum.

'We are now moving forward and what is now happening is that Government teams will move around the country explaining the draft constitution to the public. Many people do not understand the legal language used in the draft, hence the need to simplify it for them. When they go for the referendum they will know what to vote for or against,' Matinenga is quoted as saying.

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

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP