Mugabe, Tsvangirai have no power to reject the draft constitution

President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have no powers to reject the draft constitution, the constitutional parliamentary committee that spearheaded the constitution process has said.

This comes in the wake of reports that Zanu-PF intends to reject the draft constitution, which the party is saying left out views of the people. The party will Friday hold an extraordinary meeting to decide on this.

"We want to emphasise that this not an executive process, but a parliamentary driven process and only the people on the second all stakeholders' conference can make some amendments to the draft constitution," said co-chairperson of the parliamentary committee, Douglas Mwonzora.

He said Mugabe and Tsvangirai had been given the draft constitution in their capacities as heads of political parties.

Mwonzora said political parties' decisions on the draft constitution will not affect the holding of a second all stakeholders conference to be followed by a referendum.

"I know that Zanu-PF is meeting over the draft constitution and that does not matter," said Mwonzora.

"This document is the final thing we are taking to the second all stakeholders conference sometime in August if funds permit where it can be then amended if there is anything found to be missing. We are expecting all civic organisations, churches and all political parties even those which are not in the GPA to attend and participate," Mwonzora added.

If Zimbabweans vote yes in the referendum, it will set the stage for the holding of fresh elections.