Zanu-PF insists draft Constitution must reflect people’s views

party spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said they received a progress report on the constitution-making process from Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana.
He said Zanu-PF had taken a position that the new Constitution should not divert from the views of the people.

Cde Gumbo said Politburo members noted that drafters tempered with the views and aspirations of the people.
He called on the Copac team to produce an outreach report showing the people’s views.
Cde Gumbo said it was resolved that if the three parties in the Constitution-making process continue to disagree, the outreach report should be taken to the GPA principals.

“Cde Mangwana said they held a meeting with the drafters yesterday, where they did two chapters of the revised draft. We noted that there is still a lot of work to be done.
“However, the party took a strong position that the draft must reflect the outreach programme.
“If those guys (MDC formations) are difficult, our team should produce the outreach report showing what people said and give it to the principals for determination,” he said.

Cde Gumbo said the MDC formations were insisting on certain issues that were rejected by people during the outreach programme such as dual citizenship, devolution, powers of the Attorney General’s Office and one Vice President.
He said the formations were saying Zimbabwe should have either one vice president or have a prime minister.

Cde Gumbo said Zanu-PF was of the view that it should not continue to persuade the MDC formations on issues that were settled by the outreach programme.
He said the principals should take over the constitution-making process because the management committee seemed to be dithering on issues Copac failed to resolve.
“Absolutely, the principals should take over the process because the management committee seems to be vacillating. We can not continue to wait any longer.”

He said the Politburo also received a report on the party’s ongoing District Coordinating Committee elections.
He said national commissar Cde Webster Shamu presented a report where he expressed satisfaction with the way the DCC elections were held  in Mashonaland Central and in Chipinge.

Cde Gumbo said the DCC elections in Midlands will be held today and tomorrow.
He said the party’s primary elections will follow once dates of general elections are known.