Zimbabwe : Negotiators set to meet over draft bill next week

Harare - Negotiators from Zimbabwe's three main political parties will meet in South Africa next week to discuss a draft of the Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill set to give effect to a power sharing agreement signed on 15 September.

Government drafters completed the Bill earlier this week and dispatched it to former South African President Thabo Mbeki, the regional mediator in the six-month long effort to put in place an inclusive government following disputed elections on 27 June.

Professor Welshman Ncube, the Secretary General of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction led by Arthur Mutambara said his party had picked up a copy of the draft from the South African embassy on Tuesday, and was studying it.

"We were supposed to go to South Africa to discuss the document this week, but the facilitator told us that the MDC-T had indicated that they could not make it this week so it was deferred to next week," Mr Ncube said.

The MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai said in a statement on Wednesday that it had not received a draft of the Bill, but would be sending its own draft to Mr Mbeki anyway.

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

Mr Ncube said Parliament, which is currently in recess, would not be rushed into session to debate the Bill which needs a two thirds majority to pass.

None of the three parties in Parliament have the numbers, meaning that the Bill should have the express support of the two big parties - Zanu PF and MDC-T - to pass.

"Parliament would not convene early for purposes of debating Constitutional Amendment Number 19. It must first be gazetted and there should be a period of 30 days allowing public scrutiny and observations and this is a constitutional requirement that should happen before it is tabled," Mr Ncube said.

The Bill creates the posts of Prime Minister and his two Deputies. If passed, Mr Tsvangirai is set to become the country's Prime Minister while Mr Mugabe remains President.

Mr Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe will deputise Mr Tsvangirai under the terms of the power sharing agreement.

The MDC has said it will join the government once the Amendment is passed in Parliament and agreement is reached and discussions on the appointment of ambassadors and governors are concluded. - BuaNews-NNN