Author Archives: David Coltart
Zimbabwe: Precious Stones Bill Passed
The Herald (Harare) 6 September 2007 The House of Assembly on Wednesday passed without amendment the Precious Stones Trade Amendment Bill that seeks to deal with illegal trade in diamonds following the recent discovery of the mineral in some parts of the country. Both sides of the House were in agreement that the Bill was […]
Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe – A speech given at Chatham House, London
By Eileen Sawyer – former National Director of the Legal Resources Foundation Chatham House, London, 4th September 2007 “Gukurahundi†is the Shona name which the Mugabe regime used to describe the massacres in Matabeleland and the Midlands in Zimbabwe between 1982 and 1987. It means the early rain which washes away the chaff before the […]
SPEECH REGARDING PARLIAMENTARY MOTION ON THE MELTDOWN OF THE ZIMBABWEAN ECONOMY
Parliament of Zimbabwe 4th September 2007 Excerpt from Hansard MR COLTART: We have just been entertained for the last ten minutes by my hon. friend. One thing that Hon Kasukuwere (the Deputy Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation responsible for the Youth Brigades) has said I think should dominate this debate: namely the question […]
Starving in Zimbabwe ‘amounts to genocide’
The Telegraph By Sebastien Berger in Bulawayo 21st August 2007 Zimbabweans are starving to death on a scale equivalent to genocide, a top opposition MP claimed yesterday. Four million people will need food aid by the end of the year, the World Food Programme said earlier this month, as President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF government oversees […]
SADC to Support More Mediation in Zimbabwe Crisis
Voice Of America 17 August 2007 Regional heads of state are expected to encourage South African President Thabo Mbeki to continue his efforts to facilitate negotiations between Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Peta Thornycroft for VOA reports that the Southern African Development Community’s summit in Zambia also launched its first […]
Mbeki has been outflanked by Mugabe – MDC
Independent On Line August 12 2007 at 10:56AM By Peta Thornycroft President Thabo Mbeki seems likely to go to the Southern Africa Development Community summit in Lusaka on Thursday unable to claim much progress on the Zimbabwe crisis. Unless there is an unlikely and last-minute breakthrough between the Zanu-PF and opposition Movement for Democratic Change, […]
New law allows Mugabe to eavesdrop
Financial Times By Tony Hawkins in Harare Published: August 5 2007 18:23 A new law in Zimbabwe allowing the state to tap private phone conversations and monitor faxes and e-mails is unconstitutional and impracticable, said local lawyers, opposition politicians and internet service providers. Lawyers said they are confident the government’s Interception of Communications Act which […]
New spying law ‘unconstitutional’
Zim Standard By Vusumuzi Sifile 5th August 2007 THE Interception of Communications Act, signed into law by President Robert Mugabe last week, is unconstitutional and can be successfully challenged in the courts, legal experts said yesterday. The government will find it difficult to adequately monitor communications, particularly e-mails and other internet communications, they said. The […]
News Analysis: In Zimbabwe’s chaos, a kleptocracy thrives
International Herald Tribune By Michael Wines Published: August 2, 2007 BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Earlier this month, shortly after President Robert Mugabe proposed legislation mandating a gradual transfer of ownership of all businesses to “indigenous” citizens, a Zimbabwean businessman received an unexpected telephone call. The caller, a stranger, said that he represented a group of indigenous investors. […]
Just what ZANU PF’s doctor ordered – Talks collapse further cripples opposition
By Clemence Manyukwe Staff Reporter Financial Gazette 2nd August 2007 THE collapse of opposition unity talks is like manna from heaven for President Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF and creates an unimpeded path for them to march to victory in next year’s polls, analysts say. Arthur Mutambara, leader of one faction of the Movement for […]