The Herald
13 May 2009
Harare — EDUCATION, Arts, Sports and Culture Minister David Coltart has been selected to co-chair the constitution-making parliamentary select committee.
This means all the parties to the Global Political Agreement have now seconded representatives to co-chair the committee.
Zanu-PF recently appointed Chivi Central Member of the House of Assembly Cde Munyaradzi Mangwana while MDC-T nominated Nyanga North Member of the House of Assembly Mr Douglas Mwonzora.
The appointment of co-chairpersons is an interim arrangement meant to allow the principals to the GPA to consider whether it should be chaired by an independent person or not.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga confirmed the appointment of Minister Coltart by the MDC.
“We now have Minister Coltart co-chairing, that is as what it should be, because all political parties should appoint their representatives to co-chair the select committee,” said Minister Matinenga in an interview.
He said the select committee, which held its induction course in Bulawayo last week, should start its work in earnest soon.
“Thematic sub-committees should be identified and this is the responsibility of everybody and we need to get every stakeholders’ involvement from the beginning,” he said.
The select committee is expected to gather people’s views, convene an all-stakeholders meeting and subject the draft constitution to a referendum next year.