3 held as Zim publishes draft charter
2013-02-18 17:31
Special Report
Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF party is mulling over a special congress at which top vacant positions will be filled and the succession of President Robert Mugabe would be decided, according to a report.
Harare - Zimbabwe began to distribute copies of a new
draft constitution on Monday, a key reform ahead of elections later this year.
But a citizen's group said police had detained three
activists meeting to discuss the text, which is due to be voted on next month.
"We are starting distribution today of 90 000 copies
of the draft constitution in various languages as well as Braille and audio
versions," said Jessie Majome, a spokesperson for the lawmakers who wrote
the charter.
Police arrested three people at a meeting on the
constitution process in the central town of Chegutu, according to the head of a
group promoting citizen participation, the Centre for Community Development in
Zimbabwe (CCDZ).
"They were charged with organising and holding an
illegal meeting and they are now being held at Kadoma police station,"
CCDZ director Phillip Pasirayi told AFP.
Police could not immediately confirm the arrests.
The new constitution is a key reform ahead of an election
in July to end a shaky power-sharing government between veteran President
Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Zimbabweans will vote on the charter, which notably
limits presidential terms and reduces the president's power, on 16 March.
Monday's edition of the state-owned Herald newspaper
carried a pull-out copy of the draft constitution.
- AFP
