Author Archives: David Coltart
What does the Movement for Democratic Change stand for?
The Economist Apr 10th 2008 | JOHANNESBURG From The Economist print edition FOR nine years the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has focused on ousting Robert Mugabe at the ballot box. No one questions the courage and resilience of its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who has been imprisoned, badly beaten up and survived treason charges. But […]
Robert Mugabe steps up land grab violence
The Telegraph By Sebastien Berger in Johannesburg 9th March 2008 President Robert Mugabe’s regime has stepped up its campaign of violence in the wake of Zimbabwe’s elections, evicting more than 60 commercial farmers from their properties. The brutal response to the polls, in which Mr Mugabe is widely held to have come second to Morgan […]
Human rights lawyer warns against Zimbabwe retaliation
ABC Australia By Africa correspondent Andrew Geoghegan 9th March 2008 Zimbabwe Opposition supporters who claim they have been assaulted by pro-Mugabe militants are being warned not to retaliate. Human rights lawyer David Coltart, who has just been re-elected as an Opposition Senator in Zimbabwe, says President Robert Mugabe is trying to provoke his opponents. David […]
Senator tells: Why the fight is still ahead for Zimbabweans
Crikey Tuesday, 8 April 2008 Interview by Thomas Hunter: David Coltart is a senator with the Zimbabwean opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. He was first elected to office in 2000, before which he worked as a human rights lawyer. He spoke to Crikey from Zimbabwe late yesterday. Following Mugabe’s corruption of the first […]
Analysis of the election results so far
It is with considerable, but not unreserved, optimism that I write today because the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has finally completed the announcement of the House of Assembly results. The final tally is historic because for the first time in 28 years Zanu PF has lost control of the House of Assembly. Of the 210 […]
Zimbabwe elections: Leader in waiting
The Independent By Daniel Howden in Harare Thursday, 3 April 2008 After days of uncertainty, it is official: Robert Mugabe has finally lost control of Zimbabwe’s parliament. How much longer can he resist Morgan Tsvangirai? It was a moment many believed they would never see. Zimbabwe’s ruling party lost control of parliament yesterday and this […]
An anxious wait – The delay in announcing Zimbabwe’s election results worsens an already fraught situation. The country is holding its breath
THe Zimbabwean By Wilf Mbanga March 31, 2008 6:30 PM | Printable version I was apprehensive before the poll. I’m apprehensive now. I find it very disturbing that the Zimbabwe electoral commission (ZEC) has chosen to withhold the results of the elections for so long. This is keeping people in suspense and fuelling the rumour […]
Election results round-up
The Zimbabwean Sunday, 30 March 2008 15:03 Election results round-up. HARARE – Zimbabwe ’s main opposition party has made historic gains in the country’s most hotly contested general election since independence 28 years ago, with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai clinching 67 percent of the total ballots counted so far, according to unofficial results released Monday. […]
A Decade of Suffering in Zimbabwe: Economic Collapse and Political Repression under Robert Mugabe
Executive Summary On March 29, 2008, Zimbabwe will hold presidential and parliamentary elections. Few people believe that they will be free and fair or that Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union– Patriotic Front party will fail to return to office. That is a tragedy, because Mugabe and his cronies are chiefly responsible for […]
Letter to the voters of Khumalo Senatorial Constituency March 2008
Dear Voter in the Khumalo Senatorial Constituency, On the 29th March 2008 you have the chance to change the course of Zimbabwean history for the better. Zimbabwe is in such a terrible state that we do not have the luxury of making a mistake. Another 5 years of Zanu PF rule will completely destroy Zimbabwe. […]