News / Africa
Mugabe faces a torrid time at Sadc summit
17 Aug 2012 at 05:14hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe faces a torrid time at the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit starting on Friday in Maputo, Mozambique, after Zanu-PF hardliners forced the party to toughen its position on the new constitution.
Zanu-PF had intially indicated that it had agreed to 97% of the proposals in the draft, but after three politburo meetings, the party demanded wholesale changes.
Mugabe now wants the new constitution to be renegotiated, a proposal that other parties in the inclusive government say is a violation of Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
In his Heroes' Day commemorations speech in Harare on Monday, the veteran ruler said the draft would be subjected to a referendum once there was consensus among the three main political parties in the inclusive government â€" Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC.
MDC-T spokesperson and Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said as far as they were concerned, the next stage was the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference set for October.
He said they would take the matter to the Sadc summit where leaders would discuss Zimbabwe's preparations for fresh elections.
"Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement states that it is now for the people to approve or reject the draft constitution, not political parties," Mwonzora said. "This is not an MDC document.
"It is what we agreed and adopted as negotiators and for Zanu-PF to say that they do not agree with its contents proves that the Zanu-PF negotiators negotiated in bad faith.
"We will never be threatened by empty and unintelligent threats from a disintegrating party.
"The draft reflects the views of the people. Zanu-PF has a misguided view that only its views make up the people's views," said Mwonzora, adding his party would appeal to Sadc, the guarantors of the GPA, if Zanu-PF insisted on further negotiations outside the framework of the GPA. MDC Copac co-chair Edward Mkhosi said: "The draft charter is a product of consensus by the three political parties.
"That Zanu-PF is in a sudden U-turn on the draft is against the spirit of consensus."
The stance by the two MDCs also appeared to receive support from South Africa on the eve of the summit with Deputy Minister for International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim saying the next step for Zimbabwe's constitution-making process was the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference.
"The next step will be an All-Stakeholders' Conference to be organised and convened by Copac to give the ordinary Zimbabwean citizens an opportunity to look at the new draft constitution before it is tabled in Parliament and thereafter subjected to a referendum," Ebrahim told journalists in the United States capital Washington DC, on Tuesday.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who is also the Sadc-appointed facilitator in Zimbabwe, arrived in Harare on Wednesday afternoon for talks with the principals in the inclusive government ahead of the summit.
His spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu told SABC:
" Sadc would like to see a finalised constitution - a constitution the three political parties are comfrotbale with, but also Zimbabwean people should be comfortable with that constitution. President Zuma woul like to go with something in the bag."
At the summit that ends on Saturday Mugabe would also be forced to respond to allegations that preparations for the national population census had been hijacked by security forces.
The MDCs say the disruptions were enough evidence that Zimbabwe was not ready for fresh elections. Zanu-PF is also accused of stalling media, security sector and electoral reforms.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last week launched a regional diplomatic offensive where he reportedly urged Sadc leaders to insist on reforms before Zimbabwe holds elections.
He visited Mozambique and Tanzania while Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe went to Zambia.
Similar lobbying at the previous Sadc emergency summit held in Angola in June saw Mugabe's plans to push for elections this year being rejected. Last night Zuma was holed in meetings with Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC leader Welshman Ncube.
Tsvangirai was the first to meet Zuma and it was not clear if Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara would brief him as he was also at the Rainbow Towers Hotel,the venue of the meeting.
Zanu-PF had intially indicated that it had agreed to 97% of the proposals in the draft, but after three politburo meetings, the party demanded wholesale changes.
Mugabe now wants the new constitution to be renegotiated, a proposal that other parties in the inclusive government say is a violation of Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
In his Heroes' Day commemorations speech in Harare on Monday, the veteran ruler said the draft would be subjected to a referendum once there was consensus among the three main political parties in the inclusive government â€" Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC.
MDC-T spokesperson and Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said as far as they were concerned, the next stage was the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference set for October.
He said they would take the matter to the Sadc summit where leaders would discuss Zimbabwe's preparations for fresh elections.
"Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement states that it is now for the people to approve or reject the draft constitution, not political parties," Mwonzora said. "This is not an MDC document.
"It is what we agreed and adopted as negotiators and for Zanu-PF to say that they do not agree with its contents proves that the Zanu-PF negotiators negotiated in bad faith.
"We will never be threatened by empty and unintelligent threats from a disintegrating party.
"The draft reflects the views of the people. Zanu-PF has a misguided view that only its views make up the people's views," said Mwonzora, adding his party would appeal to Sadc, the guarantors of the GPA, if Zanu-PF insisted on further negotiations outside the framework of the GPA. MDC Copac co-chair Edward Mkhosi said: "The draft charter is a product of consensus by the three political parties.
The stance by the two MDCs also appeared to receive support from South Africa on the eve of the summit with Deputy Minister for International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim saying the next step for Zimbabwe's constitution-making process was the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference.
"The next step will be an All-Stakeholders' Conference to be organised and convened by Copac to give the ordinary Zimbabwean citizens an opportunity to look at the new draft constitution before it is tabled in Parliament and thereafter subjected to a referendum," Ebrahim told journalists in the United States capital Washington DC, on Tuesday.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who is also the Sadc-appointed facilitator in Zimbabwe, arrived in Harare on Wednesday afternoon for talks with the principals in the inclusive government ahead of the summit.
His spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu told SABC:
" Sadc would like to see a finalised constitution - a constitution the three political parties are comfrotbale with, but also Zimbabwean people should be comfortable with that constitution. President Zuma woul like to go with something in the bag."
At the summit that ends on Saturday Mugabe would also be forced to respond to allegations that preparations for the national population census had been hijacked by security forces.
The MDCs say the disruptions were enough evidence that Zimbabwe was not ready for fresh elections. Zanu-PF is also accused of stalling media, security sector and electoral reforms.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last week launched a regional diplomatic offensive where he reportedly urged Sadc leaders to insist on reforms before Zimbabwe holds elections.
He visited Mozambique and Tanzania while Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe went to Zambia.
Similar lobbying at the previous Sadc emergency summit held in Angola in June saw Mugabe's plans to push for elections this year being rejected. Last night Zuma was holed in meetings with Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC leader Welshman Ncube.
Tsvangirai was the first to meet Zuma and it was not clear if Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara would brief him as he was also at the Rainbow Towers Hotel,the venue of the meeting.
Source - NewsDay
