Copac postpones Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference

next week following logistical challenges.
Officials from the constitution-making body said yesterday that the conference could be held at the end of October.

The conference was initially pencilled in for October 4-6. Copac representatives also met the United Nations Development Programme yesterday and agreed that a project board should be created to work on the logistics for the conference.

The board will be composed of the Copac management committee, co-chairpersons, UNDP and donors. Copac co-chairpersons Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF), Mr Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Mr Edward Mkhosi (MDC) said the exact date for the conference would be set today.

“We have agreed that October 4-6 is out because of two reasons which are to do with availability of funds and accreditation of delegates,” said Mr Mwonzora. “On funds, the project board can only meet on October 4, so we are pushing the date forward, which is likely to be around the third week of October.”

Mr Mwonzora said accreditation of delegates was going to require more time, making it impossible to have the conference next week.
He said the Select Committee agreed on the logistics that would lead to the successful holding of the conference.
Copac, he said, agreed on the actual programme of the conference and documents to be taken to the conference.

Mr Mwonzora said a Copac sub-committee met representatives from the police in preparation for security at the conference.
Cde Mangwana said resources for the conference were already in place.
“Both the Government and donors already have the money. We are going to have adequate security at the conference. This is a parliamentary programme, so

Government will provide the security in its normal way,” Cde Mangwana said. Mr Mkhosi said the Copac sub-committee would organise security for the conference.
“We are in agreement that October 4-6 is not realistic because there is a lot that still needs to be done,” he said.

“What is left is for us to agree that we are going to have the conference latest by end of next month,” said Mr Mkhosi.