AG is being used: Coltart

12 September 2012

Senator David Coltart, is concerned that the Attorney General is being used as a weapon than an instrument for justice in Zimbabwe.

“The failure by the AG and the police to investigate and arrest cases of murder, violence and corruption is a cause for concern,” he said in an exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean.

The Senator is considering retiring from active politics and returning to the legal field. “I have been out of legal practice for too long. I intend to retire from politics but I am not saying when because I have not decided yet,” he said.

He said he would love to follow in the footsteps of MDC-T’s Eric Matinenga, who recently announced that he would be retiring from active politics at the end of his term next year.

Coltart told The Zimbabwean he was watching developments in the country closely and would wait for the outcome of the constitution-making process, which has been stalled by Zanu (PF).

“I want to see what comes out of the constitutional reform process, but I will listen to my constituency and family,” he said. “I have a mandate to perform as senator, which I should be concluding in June. Also, as the Minister of Education, I must focus on fulfilling my mandate as best as I can.”

Coltart said the SADC facilitation team in the Zimbabwe crisis had played a crucial role in bringing some level of normalcy to the country, which almost plunged into war during the 2008 presidential run-off.

“I think it (SADC facilitation) has been critically important. In 2008, you remember the pit that Zimbabwe had fallen into—high inflation, corruption and all sorts of ills— it was SADC facilitation which brought back some sanity,” he said.