MDC to reinstate devolution if it wins elections

The MDC led by Industry and Commerce minister Welshman Ncube says it will revisit the Constitution with a view to reinstating devolution of power if it wins this year's elections.

The party's spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube admitted in an interview with the Daily News yesterday that they gave away a lot during negotiations with Zanu-PF particularly on devolution, hence the need to better the document.

He said the onus was now on the electorate to vote Zanu-PF out so that through Parliament, the constitution would be amended.

If recent opinion polls are anything to go by, the chance of Ncube's MDC winning Parliament are slim indeed, with research think-tank, Freedom House, claiming the party will not garner more than one percent of the vote.

"The new Constitution represents an incremental growth in the democratisation of Zimbabwe but because it is a product of negotiation we lost something as it was give and take," Dube said. "We will however, certainly have to revisit the Constitution if we win the elections especially on issues such as devolution where we have always demanded it."

Dube however, pointed out that Zanu-PF had also been forced to capitulate on some of its demands including the role of the Attorney General on which they had declared they would not move an inch.

"Zanu PF had been digging in on the issue of the Attorney General's role but they have given in and the office will be confined to its core business of legal advisor to government. That is the essence of negotiation," Dube said.

President Robert Mugabe met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Ncube and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara last week to thrash out a deal on the country's new Constitution after the parliamentary committee (Copac) which had steered the process failed to bridge differences between the parties.

The leaders said they had come to an agreement over various sticking issues, adding that the final draft would now be put together leading to a national referendum and general elections to choose a new government.

Zanu PF has endorsed agreements made by the Principals on the sticky issues that had stymied the constitution-making process following a politburo meeting held at the party's headquarters yesterday.

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