By Nelson Banya
HARARE Aug 10 (Reuters) – Zimbabwe has finished drafting a
new constitution that limits presidential powers while
strengthening those of parliament, an important but much-delayed
step ahead of elections.
The charter’s adoption in the current form is not
guaranteed, however, as President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party
seeks to overhaul some of its provisions.
The impoverished southern African nation is bracing for
elections that must be held by next year under the terms of a
power-sharing deal between ZANU-PF and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC.
The vote raises concerns of a repeat of violence that marred
previous polls and led to hundreds of thousands of people
fleeing to neighbouring South Africa.
BATTLE OVER NEW CONSTITUTION
An inter-party parliamentary committee driving the
constitutional reforms has said a referendum on the draft
charter will be held this year, but the coalition partners are
still quarrelling over some provisions.
The final charter is likely to be a compromise, since
neither party commands the two-thirds parliamentary majority
needed to pass the new supreme law. ZANU-PF has accused the MDC
of trying to include measures on voting rights and executive
authority that could undermine Mugabe’s party.
Continued…
