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This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates Zimbabwe's constitutional reform process as of August 2012, focusing on the efforts of the Constitution Select Committee of Parliament (Copac) to draft a new constitution under the Global Political Agreement (GPA). It examines the role of SADC, the challenges of conducting a credible referendum and elections, and the influence of the security sector and international sanctions.

• The Constitution Select Committee of Parliament (Copac) completed a draft constitution in July 2012 after more than three years of debate, significantly missing the 12-month timeline required by the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA).
• The constitution-making process was hindered by severe funding shortages and political interference. The ministry of finance initially allocated US$1 million in 2011, which Copac called a 'joke', leading to a reliance on US$21.2 million in grants from development partners managed by the UNDP by July 2012.
• Public outreach and drafting were marred by political polarisation and violence. Zanu-PF allegedly used 'Operation Vhara Muromo' to suppress dissent, and police disrupted MDC meetings in February 2010, arresting participants in Binga, Masvingo, and Mt Darwin.
• The draft constitution proposes significant structural changes, including fixed five-year terms for the president and parliament, the devolution of power to provincial and metropolitan councils, and a broader supervisory role for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
• The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is considered under-capacitated, and the voters' roll is described as a 'shambles' containing 'ghost voters' and deceased persons, which threatens the credibility of future elections.
• The security sector remains a major risk to democratic transition, with army commanders suggesting they would not recognise any leader lacking 'liberation war credentials'.
• The European Union indicated in July 2012 that it would suspend most sanctions and the aid freeze against Zimbabwe, provided a credible referendum on the new constitution is held.

APA

-1 (n.d.). -1. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_17Aug.pdf

Chicago

-1. -1. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_17Aug.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{1nd, author = {-1}, title = {{-1}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_17Aug.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }