adminCopac co-chairperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said drafters were now consolidating the second draft.
“We finished our part yesterday and the drafters are now drawing up what we can call the second draft. This is the draft which we will hand over to the management committee for presentation to the three principals to the Global Political Agreement. This is a process we expect to be done next week,” he said.
Copac, he said, was already planning processes, which will lead to the Second All Stakeholders Conference.
“The management committee has made progress in resolving the outstanding issues except on a few things but we are hopeful there will be consensus soon. This does not stop us from making plans as we move towards the referendum,” said Mr Mwonzora.
He said parties were still to reach consensus on the devolution of power, a provision that will see some key Government functions being transferred to regional and provincial structures.
Co-chairperson Mr Edward Mkhosi expressed hope the draft will reach the principals by Thursday next week.
“We completed revising and the drafters are putting everything together according to Copac instructions.
“This is a task which we expect not to take long and we hope by Thursday next week the draft would be in the hands of those at a higher level,” he said.
“As for the unpacked issues, I see the management committee striking common ground the way they did on issues like the death penalty.”
Co-chairperson Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana could not be reached for comment yesterday but last week he was optimistic that an agreement on devolution will be reached soon.
He said it was clear that devolution was not feasible in a country of small geographical size like Zimbabwe.
“We have since agreed that devolution of power, dividing the country into different provinces, is not workable considering the size of our country.
“Such an arrangement would require each province to have its own government with its own Cabinet ministers who would require their own resources.”
Constitutional experts have indicated that devolution was impossible in a unitary state and suggested that its proponents were advocating for future secession.
President Mugabe has since indicated that Zimbabwe should hold a referendum to decide on the new constitution next month.
Bongani Ndlovu