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Zanu PF backtracks on constitution

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Zanu PF is reportedly backtracking on its position to stall the constitution-making process to appear “progressive” ahead of the African Union (AU) summit to be held in July. MDC-T spokesperson and Constitution Select Committee (Copac) co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said the process was back on track. He said Zanu PF had agreed the draft must […]

Zanu PF is reportedly backtracking on its position to stall the constitution-making process to appear “progressive” ahead of the African Union (AU) summit to be held in July.

MDC-T spokesperson and Constitution Select Committee (Copac) co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said the process was back on track.

He said Zanu PF had agreed the draft must be finalised at a meeting held on Wednesday and withdrew its 29-page position paper that was seen as an attempt to stall the constitution-making process.

“Zanu PF is making this change of appearing to now want the constitution because they are aware that they may be taken to task at the summit next month,” charged Mwonzora.

“The new position is that we agreed the Constitution Select Committee would review the constitution using agreed documents.

“In other words, there will be no new issue and Zanu PF has agreed.

“We are very happy that we are resuming this process. As the MDC, we want this process concluded so that other programmes can come, including elections.” Copac co-chairperson Edward Mkhosi (MDC) said they would meet next week to consider proposals from different political parties.

“We are meeting next week and the issue will be how to handle proposals from different parties,” he said.

“We will get views from political parties and views from the people and we want to compare these. We will go back to the views of the people and see which party is expressing the views of the people. People are the benchmark. The management committee has tasked the select committee with comparing these proposals with what came out of the outreach process.”

Efforts to get a comment from Zanu PF co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana were fruitless yesterday.

President Robert Mugabe’s party had reportedly made several demands, including dropping devolution of power from the new constitution.