While the Constitution drafting team sets to work preparing the final draft of a new charter agreed to by the government principals last week, debate over what was agreed and what it means for the country’s elections has intensified.

By Tererai Karimakwenda as published by our partner SW Radio Africa

As the political parties celebrate an agreement after three years of bickering, the other key reforms stipulated by the Global Political Agreement (GPA) have slowly faded into the background and elections have become the one thing government appears to be concerned with.

McDonald Lewanika, Director of the Crisis Coalition, told SW Radio Africa that other reforms stipulated by the GPA, that are essential to ensure a credible poll, have been sidelined and elections are now the focus. He explained that at least one important reform, the Constitution, has finally been completed.

“Of course the other reforms that are critical for us to hold free and fair elections have been sidelined as people focused on this long running episode of the Constitution making process, which I think is unfortunate. But from a political psychology point of view, the Constitution was the biggest prize,” Lewanika said.

He added: “I have to agree with those who say we need to hold on opening the champagne bottle, because the definitive process that is supposed to take place which is the referendum, we do not yet know when that will be. And we have no date for elections either.”

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