Zimbabwe draft constitution
Published: 2/Apr/2013
Source: bdlive.co.za
Zimbabwe’s draft constitution deal reached last month by President RobertMugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube could dominate proceedings in Parliament, which opens on Tuesday for its first session this year.
Legislators are widely expected to push through the compromise draft constitution adopted by the three principals, in an effort to edge the country closer to holding elections and end the four-year-old power-sharing government.
There are strong indications a referendum will be held either at the end of next month or in early April. A clash, however, looms between Mr Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) over dual citizenship, for which the draft constitution does not make provision.
The draft recognises only Zimbabwean citizenship by birth, descent and registration. Zanu (PF) remains opposed to dual citizenship — fearful of the large numbers of diaspora-based Zimbabweans who would be constitutionally allowed to vote in the next election.
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