Battlelines are drawn between Zanu PF and the two MDC parties ahead of Copac’s Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference, now tentatively set for early next month, amid suspicion that the former sole ruling party is itching to use the national report and violence to scuttle the entire process.
Report by Senior Reporters After surprising all and sundry by agreeing to proceed to the conference after several politburo meetings overhauled the Copac draft, Zanu PF’s critics fear the party was not sincere in its climbdown and the national report was now their ace card to bulldoze its amendments.
The Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations, led by Goodson Nguni, has already filed a court application compelling Copac to release the national report that Zanu PF wants to accompany the Copac draft at the conference. The non-governmental organisation is aligned to Zanu PF.
The First All-Stakeholders’ Conference held in 2009 was marred by violence after alleged Zanu PF militia hijacked the process.
Political analyst Ernest Mudzengi said there was no guarantee the conference would be peaceful given the bickering that characterised the negotiations on the constitution.
“There is no guarantee there will be no violence because of what has happened in the initial process of the Draft Constitution. They know that the national report will give them a basis for controversy. If you look at the national report, it is actually contrary to what is in the draft. It will give them the platform to make noise. The national report will be used as a red card against the MDCs, which will scuttle the whole process. What we are likely to see is a chaotic situation,” he said.
A total of 1 500 delegates are expected to be accredited, according to the resolutions made at a Copac meeting on Thursday. The indaba is the final stage in the deliberations on the Draft Constitution before it is taken to Parliament and referendum.
Copac co-chairperson Edward Mkhosi (MDC) said it was unfortunate that Zanu PF wanted to impose its own constitution on the people.
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He, however, said each party should present its best representative and account for its supporters’ behaviour.
“Only the invited guests who will be participating are the only people to be invited. Everyone else will be excluded and each party will be held accountable for the behaviour of its supporters.
“If we have a draft that is doctored by Zanu PF and it gets its way, it will be thrown out during the referendum,” he said.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa dismissed as baseless allegations that his party would use violence at the conference.
“If things are bad, you say it’s Zanu PF, instead of thanking us for liberating the country. Even if Zanu PF does a good thing, you never praise it”
Copac co-chair and MDC-T representative Douglas Mwonzora was, however, putting a brave face, expressing optimism the conference would proceed smoothly.
“This is not the first time that we are holding an all-stakeholders’ conference. We are well organised and on the issue of delegates, we have a criteria that can be easily implemented. The process is not problematic because the civic society in the country is known. Each participating organisation will be allocated a number of seats that will be taken by their representatives,” he said.
Mwonzora said Copac was also responsible for inviting and accrediting delegates to the conference.
Copac Select Committee chairperson Jessie Majome said: “All political parties will have equal representation, but 70% will be from civil society organisations and 30% will be from the political parties.”
