Drafting of new constitution set to commence next week

, Copac co-chairperson Cde Paul Mangwana has said.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Mangwana said the drafting stage would take one month after which a referendum would follow.
He said the data analysis stage was progressing well with rapporteurs working tirelessly to complete the process within the set time lines.
“We hope that by Monday we will be through with the data analysis stage and on the 5th of June we will start the drafting stage.
“Some thematic committees, I am sure they will be through even before Saturday and this will give us more time to work on the drafting stage. As Copac, we are happy with the progress made by the thematic committees that are analysing the data,” he said.
Commenting on the recent delays, Cde Mangwana said new people who were engaged as rapporteurs caused the fiasco.
He said the new rapporteurs were over politicising the process leading to serious haggling among the parties.
“There was a lot of suspicion among the new rapporteurs and we have resolved to recall those whom we engaged during the outreach programme.
“These people understand Copac business better and since last Saturday we have made immense progress,” he said.
Copac is racing against time to complete the crafting of new constitution to pave way for general elections.
According to the Global Political Agreement signed by Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations, the country should go to elections soon after the completion of the constitution-making process.
Zanu-PF has maintained that elections should be held this year in line with GPA while the MDC formations want them in 2013. But there has been spirited efforts by the MDC-T to drag the constitution-making process.