Photo: allafrica.com

Zimbabwe statehouse: The final draft of the constitution - with the most significant reforms aimed at political and legal systems - needs to be finalised in preparation for a referendum.

Zanu-PF'S Politburo was late last night locked up in a crucial meeting where the party's highest decision-making body outside congress was expected to come up with its final position on the Copac draft Constitution.

This is the third meeting in a row that the party has been auditing the draft Constitution against issues contained in the national report, which captured the views of the people during the Copac outreach.

Among the areas Zanu-PF says were not captured well are national objectives and foundations, the significance of the liberation struggle, the appointment of provincial governors, the establishment of the constitutional court, the deployment of defence forces outside the country and the proposed restructuring of the Attorney-General's Office.

There is also debate on a section dealing with the nomination of presidential candidates and their running mates.

The draft Constitution also proposes the establishment of a special court to deal with constitutional matters. Zanu-PF is proposing the scrapping of this provision, saying the obtaining arrangement serves the country better.

Under the existing set up, the Supreme Court constitutes itself into a constitutional court comprising five judges when dealing with constitutional cases.

A Politburo member attending the meeting last night said the meeting would take long to end because there was a lot of ground to be covered.