Category Archives: Articles
A critique of the Zimbabwean Broadcasting Services and Political Parties (Finances) Acts
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association On the 3rd April 2001 the Zimbabwean Parliament “fast tracked” two controversial bills, namely the Broadcasting Services and Political Parties (Finance) Bills despite strenuous opposition from the Movement for Democratic Change. The Leader of the House, ZANU(PF) Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa went to extraordinary lengths to get both bills passed. The […]
The whites are not the main target of the thugs
The Sunday Telegraph (UK) David Coltart, a Zimbabwe opposition leader, reveals Mugabe’s plan Zimbabwe is dangerous for everyone, but particularly for anyone who dares to criticise Robert Mugabe’s reign of terror. Like thousands of Zimbabweans, I know from personal experience what those dangers are. Just before the election here in June last year, I published […]
A Message of Hope for Zimbabwe – One Year on
Almost a year ago, just after the first horrendous politically motivated murders of MDC activists and farmers had occurred, I sent out a “Message of Hope”. In it I posed the question whether there was any hope for Zimbabwe or whether it was simply destined to an inevitable slide into anarchy. One year on Zimbabweans […]
“The Smoke and Mirrors Constitution”
Zimbabwe Independent The Constitutional Commission appointed by President Mugabe, which cost Zimbabwe several hundred million dollars, wound up its work with the presentation of a new draft constitution to President Mugabe on the 29th November 1999. We are told that the “people have spoken” and that the draft constitution reflects the views of the people. […]
Paper by David Coltart: A Critique of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and Some Thoughts as to What Should Be Included in a New Constitution
A Critique of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and Some Thoughts as to What Should Be Included in a New Constitution By David Coltart 9th May 1998 Constitutional Reforms and Requisite Guarantees of Fundamental Human Freedoms: Workshop on the Media and the National Constitution A CRITIQUE OF OUR EXISTING CONSTITUTION History: General Observations At the outset […]
A BLUEPRINT FOR ZIMBABWE
THE FORUM FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORM TRUST PROPOSALS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES IN OVERALL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND POLICIES INTRODUCTION Many of Zimbabwe’s present woes stem from the fact that we have a Constitution which is fundamentally flawed. The Constitution as it is presently framed is a negation of the principle of separation of powers in […]