ZIMBABWE’S successful completion of a constitutional reform drive hung in the balance on Wednesday after donors turned down a government request for more funding.
A parliamentary committee in charge of the process extended the outreach programme by 25 days last week after the lapse of the 65 days which it had initially set as a target to finish gathering people’s views.
The Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC) has already blown US$21 million, and was seeking a further US$8 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union.
But Edward Mkhosi, a joint chairman of the committee, has revealed the donors have snubbed their request for more funding.
He said: “We had a meeting with the donors where we told them that we have done three quarters of the country and needed more money to complete the process.
“But they said the money they gave us was to assist in the running of the process, and not take over the job. They suggested that the government could mobilise funds to finish the job.”
The cash-strapped government delayed the programme which began in late June after admitting it had no money for the constitution drive – a process which involves deploying hundreds of outreach officers countrywide to hold consultative public meetings.
Mkhosi said: “We now have to quickly look for funds for hotel bookings, accommodation and fuel and allowances for the teams.”
COPAC however says donors have agreed to fund the third and fourth segments of the process – the drafting process and referendum.