COPAC in that regard increased the number of delegates from 571 to 721.
“As I speak to you now, the additional number of delegates from the civic society is being accredited. They did not want to come here under political parties and that has been resolved,”Edward Mukosi COPAC –CO- Chairperson from the Welshman Ncube led MDC told TheZimbabwean Sunday in Harare.
NANGO and Crisis Coalition last week petitioned South African President Jacob Zuma who is the coalition government’s SADC chosen mediator to intervene after COPAC had requested members of the civic society to attend the Second All Stakeholders Conference under political parties.
The conference starts Monday and ends Wednesday in Harare.
“This amounts to“ paddocking of civil society along partisan political lines” and is unacceptable because it could compromise civil society’s independence and impartiality. On 12th October we wrote to COPAC explaining this and that they wish to participate in the Conference but “not under the participation regime that is currently being sponsored. Political parties do not own civil society, and COPAC should not aid the lie that they do, by pushing this untenable, unprofessional and partisan invitation framework”,the civic society said in a statement last week.
The second all stakeholders’ conference which starts Monday will now see 1350 delegates attending.
The conference is a platform for political parties, the church and members of the civic society to propose for the amendment of the draft constitution.
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