The Zimbabwean constitution: A necessary compromise
Zimbabwe's new constitution was finalized after a long process involving the MDC and Zanu PF parties, with regional leaders intervening to break an impasse. The draft constitution will now be put to a referendum.
The Zimbabwean constitution-making process began in 2009, following the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) between the MDC and Zanu PF. A Committee of Parliament (COPAC) was formed, and a million Zimbabweans were consulted on their desired constitutional changes. After two and a half years of negotiations, a final agreement was reached in June 2012. However, hardliners in Zanu PF demanded hundreds of changes, causing an impasse that was only resolved when regional leaders intervened three weeks ago. The final draft was then taken to Parliament, where it was adopted and sent to the country for a referendum. The draft constitution is 172 pages long, and the debate on the referendum is expected to be challenging.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.