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Zanu-PF deliberately blocked Zuma's facilitation team
17 Aug 2012 at 06:43hrs | Views
Senior South African diplomats based in Harare have claimed individuals in Zanu-PF have 'deliberately and systematically' obstructed the work of President Jacob Zuma's facilitation team.
The diplomats complained to members of the country's civil society leadership that Zanu-PF's alleged obstructionism was becoming an endemic problem. They also claimed the interference had increased to a point where it was significantly impairing the facilitation team's mission to Zimbabwe.
A highly placed source in civil society told SW Radio Africa that South African diplomats accused Zanu-PF of hampering the constitutional making process by seeking to include issues that are not pertinent to the process.
The last time the facilitation team was in Harare for meetings with GPA negotiators was in May, a few days before an extraordinary summit of SADC leaders which was held in Angola in June.
Since then efforts to meet the GPA negotiators have been met with a 'no', on the insistence of Zanu-PF, according to the diplomats.
'In the last four months, President Zuma's facilitation has had no luck in getting progress reports on the constitution and electoral roadmap. They also specifically complained of the intensity and systematic attack on Zuma and his team by the state controlled media,' a source said.
Zanu-PF has consistently stalled the constitutional process by demanding amendments to the draft, that was agreed to and signed off on by all parties on 18th July. Both MDC formations have claimed that Zanu-PF is undermining the ongoing constitutional reforms in a bid to ensure new elections are held under conditions that make a free and fair ballot impossible.
Speaking on SW Radio Africa's Hidden Story program Blessing Vava, the National Constitutional Assembly spokesman, said: 'I think people must realize that a constitution is not written to appease an individual or individuals. This may well be the case with Zanu-PF in dictating what powers Mugabe should or not have in the new charter.
'It's clear Zanu-PF is drafting this constitution with Mugabe in mind. This should not be the case and it gives credence to claims by the South Africans that they are being obstructive. I believe they wanted to get more concessions from the MDC's before the re-engaging with Zuma's team,' Vava said.
The diplomats complained to members of the country's civil society leadership that Zanu-PF's alleged obstructionism was becoming an endemic problem. They also claimed the interference had increased to a point where it was significantly impairing the facilitation team's mission to Zimbabwe.
A highly placed source in civil society told SW Radio Africa that South African diplomats accused Zanu-PF of hampering the constitutional making process by seeking to include issues that are not pertinent to the process.
The last time the facilitation team was in Harare for meetings with GPA negotiators was in May, a few days before an extraordinary summit of SADC leaders which was held in Angola in June.
'In the last four months, President Zuma's facilitation has had no luck in getting progress reports on the constitution and electoral roadmap. They also specifically complained of the intensity and systematic attack on Zuma and his team by the state controlled media,' a source said.
Zanu-PF has consistently stalled the constitutional process by demanding amendments to the draft, that was agreed to and signed off on by all parties on 18th July. Both MDC formations have claimed that Zanu-PF is undermining the ongoing constitutional reforms in a bid to ensure new elections are held under conditions that make a free and fair ballot impossible.
Speaking on SW Radio Africa's Hidden Story program Blessing Vava, the National Constitutional Assembly spokesman, said: 'I think people must realize that a constitution is not written to appease an individual or individuals. This may well be the case with Zanu-PF in dictating what powers Mugabe should or not have in the new charter.
'It's clear Zanu-PF is drafting this constitution with Mugabe in mind. This should not be the case and it gives credence to claims by the South Africans that they are being obstructive. I believe they wanted to get more concessions from the MDC's before the re-engaging with Zuma's team,' Vava said.
Source - swradio
