News / National
Zanu-PF, NCA join forces to fight MDC formations
15 Jun 2012 at 06:25hrs | Views
The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) seems to be heading for a "marriage of convenience" with Zanu-PF to fight the two MDC formations if the Copac draft constitution goes to a referendum.
Although Zanu-PF and NCA are not allies, unfolding events surrounding the constitution-making process could force the two to work together to defeat the draft constitution they both do not want for different reasons. Zanu-PF appears determined to go to the next elections under the current constitution, which would lead to it voting against the Copac draft, while the NCA has been opposed to the process, saying it was inherently unrepresentative and not people-driven.
While Zanu-PF, which is opposed to the draft, has been mobilising its supporters to reject it if its views are not included, NCA resolved at its extraordinary national consultative assembly last Saturday to intensify its campaign against the controversial draft constitution.
The NCA says it was disturbed by the manner in which Copac has handled the constitution-making process, blowing close to US$45 million and yet unable to produce a workable, consolidated draft.
The NCA has consistently criticised the process,saying it was not people-driven as only the three parties that form the coalition government are driving it. Similarly, Zanu-PF has been complaining about the Copac draft. Patrick Chinamasa, Zanu-PF negotiator and member of the Copac management committee, told a Sapes Trust public seminar last week the current constitution-making process had taken too long and was not going to produce any meaningful result.
Chinamasa said Zanu-PF had hoped the Copac exercise would be concluded in a short period as the Kariba draft constitution, negotiated by three parties, was supposed to form the basis of the process.
Although Zanu-PF and NCA are not allies, unfolding events surrounding the constitution-making process could force the two to work together to defeat the draft constitution they both do not want for different reasons. Zanu-PF appears determined to go to the next elections under the current constitution, which would lead to it voting against the Copac draft, while the NCA has been opposed to the process, saying it was inherently unrepresentative and not people-driven.
While Zanu-PF, which is opposed to the draft, has been mobilising its supporters to reject it if its views are not included, NCA resolved at its extraordinary national consultative assembly last Saturday to intensify its campaign against the controversial draft constitution.
The NCA has consistently criticised the process,saying it was not people-driven as only the three parties that form the coalition government are driving it. Similarly, Zanu-PF has been complaining about the Copac draft. Patrick Chinamasa, Zanu-PF negotiator and member of the Copac management committee, told a Sapes Trust public seminar last week the current constitution-making process had taken too long and was not going to produce any meaningful result.
Chinamasa said Zanu-PF had hoped the Copac exercise would be concluded in a short period as the Kariba draft constitution, negotiated by three parties, was supposed to form the basis of the process.
Source - thestandard
