COPAC remains deadlocked

http://www.swradioafrica.com By Tichaona Sibanda 25 April 2012 A deadlock on three contentious issues contained in the draft constitution remains, with no sign of an agreement emerging. MDC-T MP and co-chairman of COPAC, Douglas Mwonzora, confirmed to SW Radio Africa on Tuesday that discussions in the last few weeks have ended with no concrete results. The issues in dispute are dual citizenship, devolution and the structure of the executive. Last week the president of the smaller formation of the MDC, Welshman Ncube, said the three principals had failed to break the constitutional logjam and called on South African President Jacob Zuma to intervene. However, Mwonzora said they will wait for the management committee, which comprises chief negotiators from the three political parties in the unity government, to meet again and look at the outstanding issues. “One of the problems we have been facing is that members of the management committee have been busy with government commitments and have been outside the country in the last week. I understand they are all back now and we hope they’ll meet soon,” Mwonzora said. Blessing Vava, the information officer for the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), said an alternative approach to resolve the deadlock would be to publish views received during the outreach program on the issues in dispute. “As the NCA we have always said the draft Constitution should reflect the people’s views as captured during the outreach program. Every party involved with the new constitution has said the same and so we are saying let’s not divert from the views of the people,” Vava said. He added: “Let’s go back to what people said and see what they said about devolution, dual citizenship and structure of the Executive. As it is, the stalemate confirms our fears that the new constitution will not reflect the wishes of Zimbabweans, but of the politicians.” Vava said he hopes the new constitution will guarantee human rights, strengthen the role of parliament and curtail the president’s powers, as well as guaranteeing civil, political and media freedoms.