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Zimbabwe Constitutional Committee to Announce Outreach Launch Date Soon


Committee Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora told VOA his panel wants funds from donors led by the United Nations Development Program to be transferred and available to meet expenses before launching the outreach phase

Zimbabwe's Parliamentary Select Committee for Constitutional Revision said on Monday that it expects shortly to announce a date firm for the launch of the public outreach phase of the process, with details on how it will unfold.

Committee Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora told VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that he and his fellow chairmen want to see funds from donors such as the United Nations Development Program to be transferred and available to meet expenses before scheduling the start of the outreach program.

Mwonzora dismissed recent press reports that the management committee for constitutional revision, which includes power-sharing negotiators from the three political parties in the inclusive government, barred the select committee from paying members of parliament allowances for the use of their cars.

The Zimbabwe Standard weekly newspaper reported that two weeks ago the management committee ordered an immediate audit of the parliamentary select committee's finances amid rumors of financial mismanagement.

Mwonzora confirmed to VOA reports that Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was demanding more than US$2.9 million to detach police to accompany outreach teams during the constitutional process.

He said Chihuri indicated he would he would deploy 1,000 officers, but that the select committee would have to provide transport and meals.

Mwonzora said his committee has forwarded the police commissioner's response to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and other relevant ministries.

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