LAWMAKERS in charge of the constitutional reform programme say their public canvassing has been indefinitely suspended in Harare after meetings were violently disrupted over the weekend.
At least five people were injured in clashes and stone-throwing between rival party supporters in the populous Mbare township on Sunday. Four other meetings across Harare were abandoned, the panel said.
Riot police were on Monday posted at sites of the disturbances as Acting President John Nkomo urged calm.
Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu PF) and Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T), joint heads of the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC), announced the suspension of canvassing after indicating they still had 13 outstanding meetings, having completed 69.
Mangwana said: “We had an emergency management meeting and it was agreed that the 13 outstanding meetings in Harare be suspended.
"The suspension affects only Harare and other regions will continue with their meetings. In Matabeleland North Province, parts of Umguza are still to be covered while in Matabeleland South, Beitbridge is still outstanding and Gokwe North in the Midlands is still to be fully covered.
"In Mashonaland West, Kariba is still to be covered while parts of Rushinga (Mashonaland West) and Buhera (Manicaland) are still to conduct all their meetings.”
Tuesday is the International Day of Peace. Nkomo said: "The International Day of Peace provides the opportunity for individuals, households, families, communities, organisations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date."
Under a two-year-old coalition agreement between President Robert Mugabe and opposition rivals Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, a new constitution must be drawn up before fresh elections can be held, possibly next year.
But Tsvangirai warned Monday he would boycott the elections if they would become a "declaration of war" -- reference to the weekend violence which his party blames squarely on President Mugabe's Zanu PF party.