The Zimbabwean parliament meets to thrash out a timetable for the completion of the drafting of a new constitution.

The process - a precursor to proposed multiparty elections - will take place amid warnings that Zimbabwe's fragile political accord might unravel within weeks if President Jacob Zuma does not intervene.

The agreement underpinning the unity government has teetered in recent months, with the Movement for Democratic Change repeatedly accusing Zanu-PF of failing to deal with serious obstacles to the implementation of true multiparty rule.

The drafting of a new constitution is likely to add to the tensions between the rival political parties.

At the weekend, MPs from all parties were summoned by Zanu-PF, through state radio broadcasts, to take part in a joint preparatory "caucus". Ordinarily, a meeting of this nature would be called by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

It was not known late yesterday if MPs from the MDC would attend.

The party's leader, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has already thrown down the gauntlet, saying that, if all the outstanding issues bedevilling the unity government were not resolved by the middle of this month, he would ask for further arbitration by the Southern African Development Community.

Since the formation of the coalition government, in February, land invasions and state harassment of MDC supporters have continued.

President Robert Mugabe has unilaterally appointed key state officials and has refused to swear in Tsvangirai's nomination for the post of deputy agriculture minister, Roy Bennett, who was arrested on what his party claims are trumped-up charges.

The crucial positions of central bank governor and attorney-general - both occupied by Mugabe loyalists - are another major source of tension.

The Sunday Times yesterday quoted MDC founder member Eddie Cross as saying that Zimbabwe's crisis was likely to worsen sharply in coming weeks and that only decisive action by the South African government could save the unity agreement.

Zanu-PF has said it will make no "further concessions" to the MDC.

Tensions in the unity government are expected to play out in parliament, where Tsvangirai's MDC has a slender majority.

The party has warned that more reforms are necessary to keep the unity government afloat. Commissions to oversee media, elections and rights reform have been agreed to but are yet to take office.

By The Times (SA)