A date for a referendum might be announced in Harare on Thursday, when the three principals to the GPA meet to receive a draft report of the new constitution.

By Tichaona Sibanda as published by our partner SW Radio Africa

This reportedly follows a ‘breakthrough’ in talks to finalize the drafting of the new charter by the cabinet committee that met in Harare on Wednesday.

SW Radio Africa was told the country is set to have a referendum at the end of March with elections most likely to be staged in July this year

Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga told us on Wednesday that they made “very good” progress in their final day of talks in the capital.

The Minister said the seven member cabinet committee [would] meet in Harare on Wednesday evening to go through a draft report that would be presented to the GPA principals on Thursday.

“We finished our meeting at 3pm and met our secretariat to draft a report that we will look at tonight [Wednesday evening] so that it is in a state to be presented to the principals.”

Asked if they had finally dealt with all the contentious issues after three years of drafting the constitution, Matinenga retorted: “If I say it was a good meeting and we made good progress that should mean a lot.”

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