The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association  lawyers Guni and Guni Legal Practitioners have written to the three co-chairpersons of Copac demanding that they use the views of the people.The co-chairpersons are Cde Munyaradzi Mangwana (Zanu-PF), Mr Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Mr Edward Mkhosi (MDC).

 "Our client advises that there are a number of material irregularities pertaining to the drafting of the constitution such that it has become clear that some of the views of the people may not be used for the purposes of drafting the Constitution," the lawyers said.

Ziliwaco demanded that within five days, Copac should produce and publish a national report acknowledged by all the co-chairpersons as correct.
They also want the national report to be forwarded to the drafters as the basis for writing the constitution.
Ziliwaco wants Copac to produce and publish a mandate to drafters in writing.

They also demanded that Copac should produce and publish the methodology to be used by drafters in dealing with the data in the national report.
Copac co-chairperson Cde Paul Mangwana yesterday said Ziliwaco's threats were premature and insisted they would ensure that the people's views as gathered during the outreach would be reflected in the new constitution.
"It is premature for anyone to make conclusions on the four chapters because that is work in progress. It is our duty as Copac to safeguard the views of the people, we are duty bound to do that and that is what we will do. If there are any concerned stakeholders they can come and see the three co-chairs and we will explain everything," he said.
Cde Mangwana said Copac had used the national report in coming with information for the new constitution.

The experts drafting the new charter are Botswana High Court judge Moses Chinhengo, University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Brian Crozier and prominent lawyer Priscilla Madzonga.

But before the drafters resumed work, COPAC members and their technical committee went on a ten day retreat in Vumba, Manicaland to look at what has been covered so far and to see if the drafters were working in accordance to instructions given to them. The retreat also dealt with contentious constitutional issues, which were still to be resolved at select committee level.

'After our retreat in Vumba, it is clear people have sobered up and it is also clear some of the people in ZANU PF were just criticizing the draft without even reading it. It appears they have now studied it and there is relative satisfaction and trust on the process,' Mwonzora said.

The areas covered by the drafters include the founding principals of a constitution, citizens' rights, bill of rights and national objectives.

Mwonzora said: 'We've gone through the chapters written by drafters and confirm one thing... that the drafters did nothing wrong. They drafted from the documents we had given them. All material they used is in the national statistical report and it's from the people of Zimbabwe.'

By Special correspondent