ZIMBABWE - HARARE - The MDC on Wednesday dismissed as "frivolous and mischievous" Zanu (PF) claims that the draft Constitutional Amendment No. 19 was an inclusive Bill that had been drafted with the input of all of Zimbabwe's three main political parties.

 

"Contrary to reports being peddled by Zanu PF, the draft does not have any input from the MDC and we are not privy of its contents," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told ZimDaily last night.

 

"We have never seen the draft and we are surprised that such key positions on the way forward are being communicated through the media."

 

 

 

President Mugabe's government announced yesterday that it had forwarded a draft constitutional amendment that will create the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers in a unity government to the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) parties for their consideration, but Chamisa said they had not seen the draft.

The draft was said to have been sent to the MDC principals by outgoing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who is also chief representative of Mugabe's Zanu-PF party in power-sharing negotiations with the MDC, according to the Herald newspaper.

It was also reported that MDC negotiators - Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma from the Morgan Tsvangirai formation and Welshman Ncube and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga of the Arthur Mutambara camp - will meet Zanu-PF's Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche on Thursday to deliberate on the draft amendment, which had been sent to Mbeki for perusal.

"As far as we are concerned, the draft that has been sent to Mbeki is a Zanu PF document with Zanu PF perspectives," Chamisa said. "Our draft is also ready and will be sent to Mbeki for consideration.

"The final Bill to be tabled before parliament should be inclusive of the three main political parties' views. The Bill should also be premised on the GPA document initialed on the 11th of September 2008 as the one signed on the 15th of September was tempered with."

When the MDC National Council met in Harare last week, the MDC resolved that it would not get into an inclusive government with Zanu PF unless the Constitutional Amendment No. 19 had been passed into an Act by Parliament and all the outstanding issues have been resolved.

Chamisa said the MDC's outstanding issues including the appointment of provincial
governors, senior government officials such as permanent secretaries and ambassadors and have been prevented from discussion by Zanu PF.

Other sticking issues include; the equitable distribution of ministerial portfolios and the composition and constitution of the National Security Council.

Chamisa said the MDC also called for the immediate convening of Parliament to carry out its normal mandate of overseeing the executive.

 

 

 

 

 

JOKE OF THE DAY - A Zimbo who had not drank water for a long time and was very broke but badly needed a drink, went into a bar and challenged the bar man to give him small amounts of any brand of beer, spirit, brandy, whisky and their mixtures and he would be able to tell the bar man what the contents were. The bar man tried all he could but the Zimbo came out with the correct answers.

 

Finally he was ordered to go out for the last test and when summoned back he was given a glass of water to which he said “I am sorry, I have never tested this one before but if you were to market it, it wont sell.

 

Got a story, joke, quote, opinion or want your letter published, please e-mail Editor at editor@zimdaily.com