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‘Copac negotiations far from over’

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ZANU PF Copac co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana has attacked the MDC-T for allegedly delaying the constitution-making process by failing to turn up for crucial meetings to conclude the process.

ZANU PF Copac co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana has attacked the MDC-T for allegedly delaying the constitution-making process by failing to turn up for crucial meetings to conclude the process.

Report by Everson Mushava

“It is not true that Zanu PF is delaying the process . . . it is the MDC-T,” Mangwana said while denying similar allegations against his party. For the past week, we failed to meet three times because representatives from the MDC-T were not available. Yet people say Zanu PF is delaying the process.”

However, MDC-T Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora denied his party was stalling the process.

“That is total rubbish. We are always available,” Mwonzora said.

But Mangwana insisted the MDC-T was the culprit delaying constitution-making process adding the party had also hampered activities of the committee set up to conclude the process. The committee had failed to meet after the Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference because of the MDC-T, he said.

The committee is made up of chairpersons Mangwana, Mwonzora and Edward Mkhosi, who represents the MDC, negotiators Finance minister Tendai Biti (MDC-T), Justice and Legal Affairs minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu PF), Regional Integration and International Co-operation minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC), working under the direction of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga.

“We failed to meet in time after Biti said he wanted to get the mandate of his party. Soon after that, we were told Biti was in the United Kingdom. When he came back, he joined his party to go to Masvingo and on Tuesday we were told they were attending their national executive meeting,” Mangwana said.

But Matinenga, in his report presented to the Global Political Agreement principals before the committee was established, accused Zanu PF of insincerity and delaying the process by repeatedly resurrecting already resolved issues.

President Robert Mugabe has given an ultimatum to the committee to conclude the constitution-making process before the Christmas holidays, failure which he said, he would proclaim dates for elections under the current Constitution.

Prospects that the process would be complete in time, however, appear bleak following latest Zanu PF claims that about 30 issues remained unresolved.

“Whoever said that only two issues are yet to be resolved has a sinister motive for collapsing the whole process!” Mangwana said in response to media reports suggesting only a handful issues were still outstanding. “It is not true that there are only two issues remaining. Whatever document you have is work in progress,” he said.

Mangwana pleaded with the media to give discussions a chance because the issues being discussed were delicate.

“We had been doing preparatory work so that we can meet as a committee. But you have collapsed the whole process. You are meddling with the discussions. Some of the information is very delicate and I call on the media to give discussions a chance,” he said.

The committee was set to meet yesterday, according to Mangwana.