VZCZCXRO1401
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0526/01 1801344
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291344Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4658
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2918
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3037
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1469
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2300
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2667
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3085
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5528
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2213
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000526 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B.WALCH 
DRL FOR N. WILETT 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: HOUSE SPEAKER BRIEFS ON ZIM CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS 
 
REF: HARARE 525 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) House of Assembly Speaker Lovemore Moyo briefed 
diplomats June 24 on the constitutional process.  According 
to Moyo, it is on track, as specified in the Global Political 
Agreement (GPA), to be completed within 18 months from the 
inception of the inclusive government on February 11. 
Current budget estimates for the entire process are US$19 
million, although this is being reviewed.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) House of Assembly Speaker Moyo briefed diplomats on 
the constitutional process on June 24.  He was joined by 
Senate President Edna Madzongwe (ZANU-PF) and Douglas 
Mwonzora (MDC-T) who chairs the Select Committee on the 
Constitution along with Paul Mangwana (ZANU-PF) and David 
Coltart (MDC-M). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Moyo told diplomats the constitutional process was 
on track.  The preparatory phase was now underway.  Members 
of the Select Committee and staff were visiting the provinces 
to identify stakeholders and to identify possible thematic 
subcommittees.  Preparations would then be made for the first 
"All Stakeholders Conference" to be held between July 9 and 
July 12 this year.  At the Conference, subcommittees would be 
constituted. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Between July 13 and November 13, according to Moyo, 
a consultative phase would take place in which the 
subcommittees would solicit input from citizens around the 
country.  Also, a coordination structure would be 
established.  After this phase, each thematic subcommittee, 
with the aid of experts, would produce reports and submit 
them to a yet-to-be-constituted drafting committee. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Moyo appealed for donor assistance.  He said the 
draft budget is US$19 million, although the government 
ministries (finance and constitutional affairs), which are 
responsible for funding the process, were revisiting this 
figure.  He also noted the government was considering 
establishing a trust fund to collect and disburse monies. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Mwonzora insisted the 18-month time frame for the 
drafting of a new constitution should not be extended.  To do 
so would require renegotiating the Global Political Agreement 
(GPA) and risk renegotiation of other issues as well. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) ZANU-PF and Mugabe have strongly advocated using a 
draft developed by Patrick Chinamasa (ZANU-PF), Tendai Biti 
(MDC-T) and Welshman Ncube (MDC-M) in 2007 after the 
commencement of the SADC mediation process, as the basis of 
the new constitution.  The 2007 negotiations took place at 
Lake Kariba, and the resulting document is referred to as the 
Kariba draft.  The stated rationale of ZANU-PF and Mugabe for 
using the Kariba draft is that it is a known quantity agreed 
to by all three parties and its adoption, or a near 
facsimile, would simplify and speed the process.  The MDC and 
civil society have pushed back strongly stating they want a 
"people driven" constitution.  Mwonzora addressed the 
controversial Kariba draft constitution and said it could be 
considered, as could any other draft, but should not be a 
Qconsidered, as could any other draft, but should not be a 
basis of the new constitution.  Despite this, elements of 
civil society, including Lovemore Madhuku and the influential 
National Constitutional Alliance, have refused to accept the 
constitutional process outlined in the GPA.  They view the 
central role of Parliament as inappropriate, even if an 
effort is made to solicit public input. 
 
 
HARARE 00000526  002 OF 002 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶8.  (SBU) Parliament has been largely inactive and we are not 
hopeful it will enact legislative reform measures in the near 
term (Ref).  The constitutional process is the one area where 
Parliament has been engaged, and so far it is adhering to the 
timetable set out in the GPA.  A new constitution is a 
predicate to new elections under the GPA.  A valid 
constitutional process, however, will require significant 
resources (although quite likely not in the amount suggested 
by Moyo). 
 
¶9.  (SBU) We expect the battle over the Kariba draft to heat 
up.  ZANU-PF and Mugabe support the Kariba draft because it 
is a known quantity and provides for strong executive powers. 
 Additionally, insisting on the Kariba draft is a way for 
Mugabe to derail or slow the constitutional process and to 
therefore delay elections.  He is in no hurry for elections 
which, as things stand now, he and ZANU-PF would almost 
certainly lose.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCGEE