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State (Principle of the Separation of Powers) had received little support during the outreach programme.
Sources within Copac say MDC-T raised issues on methodology after realising its views, especially on the theme on the Arms of the State, would be diluted.
“As you might be aware Zanu-PF was of the view that the process should start with the quantitative method then use the qualitative method when reports are being compiled.
“That is more or less what was happening when the meetings of the thematic committees started. However, the MDC-T realised that the dominant views, especially concerning Arms of the State, were predominantly echoing the Zanu-PF positions that are a matter of public record,” the source said.
In its position paper published just before the outreach programme, Zanu-PF highlighted various talking points.
The party indicated that it preferred an Executive President with fixed two five-year terms.
It said the terms would begin after the adoption of the new constitution.
The position paper also said; “Executive authority must rest with the president and cabinet. The president is the head of State and government and commander in chief of the defence forces.”
The president would appoint the two vice presidents and choose his cabinet from members of parliament. It ruled out the prime minister’s post.
The sources said the appointment of commissions would be the president’s responsibility contrary to the MDC-T proposals that they should be accountable to Parliament.
“In light of the challenges Zimbabwe has faced, especially the onslaught from the Western powers, Zanu-PF was of the view that the office of the President should hold executive powers instead of creating so many centres of power as is happening in the inclusive Government.
“This tends to draw back Government’s programmes due to unnecessary squabbles,” the sources said.
Zanu-PF’s positions were however, in stark contrast to MDC-T’s that called for the executive authority to be shared between the president and the prime minister and cabinet.
The party also proposed a return of the bicameral parliament with powers to impeach the president.
The source added that after MDC-T realised that their views did not gather support they then raised arguments on the methodology being used.
The party argued that the quantitative approach was giving an unfair advantage to Zanu PF.
MDC-T co-chairperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora yesterday denied that these issues had anything to do with the impasse.
“That is totally false. It is not true that any particular political party’s view is dominating or was dominating. On the meetings done it is clear that all divergent views are coming up.
“We had by last week done two provinces out of 10. How can anyone then deduce using 20 percent of the provinces that Zanu PF’s views would dominate,” he said.
Mr Mwonzora said the contentious issue was that the quantitative method was giving an unfair advantage to rural areas.
“The bone of contention was the unfair advantage which the methodology was giving to meetings in rural areas as opposed to urban areas.
“The fact that the impasse culminated in a signed agreement is clear testimony that issues raised by us were genuine and reasonable,” he said.
Under the compromise reached last week the two or more meetings held in rural wards would be collapsed into one, while other factors prevalent on each particular meeting would be considered.
Data from rural and urban areas would also be analysed separately.