Madhuku, Tsvangirai meeting fails to heal rift

Madhuku, Tsvangirai meeting fails to heal rift

• Sikhumbuzo Dube: Madhuku cannot impede reforms

• NCA vows to oppose constitutional reforms

• Zimbabwe announces committee for new constitution

• Jonathan Moyo: While Zanu PF has legitimacy but lacks credibility, NCA lacks both

By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 22/04/2009 20:40:59
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai "agreed to disagree" with National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman Lovemore Madhuku at a crisis meeting on Wednesday to defuse simmering tensions over the process to draw up a new Zimbabwe constitution.

Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is a member of the NCA, and he was the vocal lobby group’s first chairman.

The meeting, called by the Prime Minister’s Office, was attended by Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe and Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga on one side, and Madhuku, the NCA’s director Ernest Mudzengi and NCA spokesman Mardoch Chivasa on the other.

“The meeting was called by the Prime Minister’s Office. We had previously requested to meet him in his capacity as the MDC leader. Nothing came out of it. We agreed to disagree but consultations will continue,” said Madhuku.

Madhuku said the NCA differed sharply with the Prime Minister as the constitutional reform advocacy group wants an independent panel to lead the constitutional making process as opposed to having parliament taking a leading role.

Last month, Parliament’s Standing rules and Orders Committee recommended to President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara, to appoint a non-PM to chair a 25-member committee that will steer constitutional reforms.

On Wednesday Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo said the three leaders have not responded to their recommendation, and as an interim measure, they had appointed Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Paul Mangwana (Zanu PF) as co-chairman.
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