Storm brews in Copac

The revolutionary party is also accusing the drafters of siding with the two MDC formations.
The drafters are former High Court judge Justice Moses Chinhengo and constitutional experts and lawyers, Mrs Priscilla Madzonga and Mr Brian Crozier.
Select Committee representative from Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations are expected to meet today (Monday) to decide on the way forward.

Copac national coordinator Mr Gift Marunda, dismissed Zanu-PF claims saying it was just speculation because the Select Committee was yet to review the drafts.
“People can always speculate but what I can say is that what the drafters are doing is per instruction.
“Once the Select Committee meets to review the draft then the co-chairs will be updating the nation of what will be happening,” said Mr Marunda.

Sources at Copac said Zanu-PF was not happy because the preliminary draft did not reflect people’s views, which were in line with its position paper.
“We understand the drafters are not following what the people said, they are writing what they think. They are using other countries’ constitutions as templates and this totally undermines the whole outreach exercise.

“Issues around land irreversibility, citizenship and homosexuality   have not been properly captured despite the fact that the majority of the people spoke loudly on those issues,” a source said.
Another source added: “The drafters seem to be pushing the MDC-T agenda because from what we have gathered they are giving more attention to the MDC-T position paper than what the people said, for instance the issues to do with dual citizenship.

“From the outreach exercise most of the people said they didn’t want dual citizenship but the drafters want to provide for that. Zanu-PF feels we would rather stop the whole exercise and look for other drafters.” 
Copac co-chairperson, Cde Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF) last week   could neither confirm nor deny the stand off.
“I will tell you when I am complaining. What I know is that the technical teams have finished identifying the gaps and the document will be given to us to consider it on Monday,” Cde Mangwana said.

However, his MDC counterpart Mr Edward Mkhosi said the constitution making process had hit a snag after Zanu-PF raised concerns.
“It appears Zanu-PF is saying the drafters are failing to capture what they wanted, they are arguing   that some things were not sufficiently captured. In any case we will be meeting on Monday to discuss this issue,” said Mr Mkhosi.

MDC-T co-chairperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said the drafters had not acted outside their mandate.
“The Select Committee gave the drafters instructions as well as material on how to deal with the specific issues and there are records to that effect,” Mr Mwonzora said.
“The fact that the drafters have produced what some people don’t want, it doesn’t mean that they have failed. The accusation that drafters are acting outside their mandate is not correct.

“I think it will be unfair to start accusing the drafters because they are very professional acting in accordance with the written instructions.
“We would urge that if anybody is not happy about any preliminary draft, he or she must bring their submission before the Select Committee for discussion.”

Mr Mwonzora said the Select Committee meeting today was meant to check if the drafters were in line with what they had been instructed.
If there were any irregularities, he said, they were supposed to be captured in today’s review.
Mr Mwonzora said no individual political party had influence over the drafters
He said the drafters only took instructions from the three co-chairpersons when there is consensus.