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Disagreements Continue Over Draft Constitution

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Zimbabwe
Sources
VOA
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Jonga Kandemiiri, Sithandekile Mhlanga

Disagreements continue to dog the constitution-writing process with the leaner management committee meeting in Harare Tuesday afternoon failing to agree on the remaining issues that came up at the Second All Stakeholders’ Conference.

Sources said Zanu PF and both Movement for Democratic Change formations were unable to find a common position on the areas of devolution and dual citizenship, with Zanu PF saying those sections of the draft need to be renegotiated.

The MDC formations, meanwhile, do not want to redraft those sections.

Despite the lack of progress, Constitution and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga said he was happy with Tuesday’s meeting and hoped that the next meeting on Thursday will be fruitful.

Reached for comment, National Constitutional Assembly youth chairman, Alois Dzvairo, said the meetings will not produce progressive results because the constitution-making process is led by politicians instead of an independent committee.

Zanu PF and the MDC formations have disagreed on how to deal with the Second All Stakeholders’ Conference report.

The former ruling party initially demanded that the report be sent to the principals first while the MDC parties wanted it to be presented to parliament, threatening to refer the matter to the Southern African Development Community.

The president has already indicated that the unity government principals will have the final say on the draft before it is submitted to parliament.

Listen: Interview With Minister Eric Matinenga