Parties to present positions on constitution

tasked a leaner committee composed of three ministers from the three parties in Government, Copac co-chairpersons and Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister to break the deadlock stalling the constitution-making process.

The committee is expected to expeditiously resolve the areas of contestation.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga yesterday said the committee had their first meeting on Wednesday.

“We met for the first time yesterday (Wednesday) for a preparatory meeting and we agreed that we will meet again on Monday,” he said.

“We agreed that each party will be expected to bring its position on the Second All-Stakeholders report. This will help us see how we can move forward.”

Minister Matinenga said parties were expected to negotiate so that the current deadlock could be broken.

The committee is expected to take about seven days to go through the report that encompasses all issues compiled by Copac after the Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference and the input added by the Management Committee after receiving the report from Copac.

The report will be taken back to the leaders in Government and leaders of political parties.
Party representatives in the committee are expected to consult their party leadership on areas that need guidance.

Upon satisfaction, the party leaders and leaders in Government would return the report to Copac for onward transmission to Parliament.

After drafting of the Copac draft, political parties in Government were given an opportunity to look at the draft to audit it.

The MDC formations endorsed the draft in its entirety but Zanu-PF proposed some amendments.
The revolutionary party argued the draft had deviated from the people’s views gathered during the outreach programme.

MDC formations argued the amendments could not be effected before the Second All Stakeholders Conference.

However, after the conference MDC formations changed the goal posts again claiming the proposed amendments could not be considered if there was no consensus from the delegates at the stakeholders’ conference.