HARARE The parliamentary select committee leading constitutional reforms last week denied reports that it had suspended its work although admitting it could not carry out an exercise to consult Zimbabweans on the proposed new governance charter because of lack of funds. One of the three chairmen of the committee, Douglas Mwonzora, said it had no powers to suspend the constitutional reform process that according to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed by Zimbabwes three main political parties should be completed by next year. He said: “It is not true that we have suspended the process, because we do not have that mandate .we have not stopped doing the job as reported in some sections of the media.”
Article 6 of the GPA provides for the drafting of a new constitution for Zimbabwe. Once a new constitution is in place, the power-sharing government is expected to call fresh parliamentary, presidential and local government elections. The new constitution will replace the current Lancaster House Constitution written in 1979 before independence from Britain. The charter has been amended 19 times since independence in 1980. Critics say the majority of the amendments have been to further entrench President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF)s hold on power.