HARARE - Thematic Committee meetings have ground to a halt after sharp disagreements between rival parties over what should go into the draft Constitution.
Rival parties clashed on Wednesday over the methodology to use in compiling data gleaned from public outreach meetings. The two MDC formations accuse Zanu PF is trying to sneak into the Constitution trivial issues, including death sentence for those calling for sanctions and those criticising the President.
The two MDC formations have walked out of the meetings, causing the compilation of data to grind to a halt.
Copac chair Douglas Mwonzora said the disagreement came after his party has insisted on “qualitative approach” while Zanu PF insisted on both qualitative and quantitative.
He said the quantitative approach will disadvantage the minority groups.
“For example there were three meetings per ward in rural areas and one in urban areas and the quantitative approach will disadvantage those in urban areas,” he said.
Mwonzora said Zanu PF has insisted on counting the number of meetings where a theme was raised and captured it even though it was not a constitutional matter. Another COPAC chairperson Edward Mkhosi of the MDC-N said: “The management committee has agreed to go the qualitative way not what they are calling for,” he said.
Paul Mangwana, the other chairman representing Zanu PF said: “We will go ahead even with the smallest parties in the country,” he said, adding the MDC was trying to stall the constitutional reform exercise to delay elections.
Post published in: News