Zimbabwe has abandoned a conference on a new constitution after fights broke out between rival delegations, BBC online reports Monday.
Supporters of President Robert Mugabe disrupted the meeting by dancing and singing revolutionary songs. Some delegates walked out in protest, others threw water bottles. Riot police had to clear out the Harare venue.
More than 4.000 politicians and activists had joined the talks, called the All Stakeholders Conference, which were intended as the start of a year of consultations on the issue. A referendum is scheduled for a years time and once a charter is in place, Zimbabwe is expected to have another attempt at holding a free and fair election.
The former opposition MDC is calling for the conference to be a genuine public process – with ordinary people given a real say in drafting the document. Zanu-PF wants the constitution based on what is called the Kariba Draft, which was drawn up by the parties last year. Critics of the Kariba document say it gives the president too much executive power.
