SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa said that COPAC’s management committee held a day-long workshop for rapporteurs, team leaders and other stakeholders signalling, the start of this long delayed process, due to partisan antagonism and a lack of funds.
New timelines set for a referendum were released last week and it is expected a draft constitution will be ready in October or November, which in turn will help pave the way for a referendum by January next year. The country is still using the Lancaster House Agreement adopted prior to independence nearly 30 years ago.
Muchemwa said the new timelines effectively rule out elections this year as demanded by ZANU PF and Robert Mugabe. The drafting of a new constitution is part of reforms meant to entrench democracy in the country.
It is hoped the new charter will guarantee human rights, strengthen the role of parliament and protect civil, political and media freedoms. Initially, it was expected that the draft would be presented to parliament by end of September so that the referendum could be held before the end of the year.
“COPAC’s management committee and the parties agreed to use both qualitative and quantitative methods in the compilation of district and provincial reports for the constitution-making process,” Muchemwa said.
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