Copac denies receiving 2 weeks ultimatum to conclude draft constitution

Copac has denied reports by the media that they were given an ultimatum to conclude the draft constitution by the principals to the Global Political Agreement.

Last week, the principals to the GPA gave the COPAC management committee a two week ultimatum to conclude the constitution's drafting process.

The decision by the principals is said to have been made after the realisation that the constitution select team was taking longer than expected to come up with a draft constitution.

The Constitution Select Committee has however refuted ever receiving official communication from the principals maintaining that they are working within their given timelines.

Speaking during a press briefing, COPAC co-chairperson, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana said up to now they have not received any such communication from the management committee which they report to.

Meanwhile, the Constitution Select Committee has finally completed reviewing the 18 chapters of the draft constitution and have assured the nation that by next week Friday a draft will be out, marking a conclusion to the prolonged drafting process which had become redundant and monotonous.

Some of the constitutional principles which are guiding the constitution making process and are a foundation of the proposed draft include the supremacy of the constitution, recognition of the separation of powers, recognition of Zimbabwe's liberation, democracy, sovereignty of the state and its people, recognition of the importance of a bill of rights by entrenching it in the constitution among other principles.