Vol 52 No 17 | ZIMBABWE The kingmaker general dies at Alamein 26th August 2011 Solomon Mujuru held no high office but was an important link between the military and the political opposition The macabre mystery surrounding the death of General Solomon Mujuru on 16 August is perturbing the faction-ridden Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front. In the short term, it will...
Vol 52 No 17 | ZIMBABWE The police fail to protect 26th August 2011 Amid the finger-pointing, conspiracy theories and angst at Solomon Mujuru’s death, what stands out with crystal clarity is the incompetence of the Zimbabwe Republic Police before, after and...
Vol 52 No 17 | ZIMBABWE It’s not cricket 26th August 2011 On 4 August, Zimbabwe announced its return from the cricketing wilderness, playing – and winning – its first international for over five years, a test match against...
Vol 52 No 16 | ZIMBABWE Hard winter in Harare 5th August 2011 ZANU-PF outpoint their opponents by taking over the diamond revenue and latching on to a popular national cause As senior allies of President Robert Gabriel Mugabe concede through gritted teeth that there can be no national elections this year, they have moved the battleground to economic...
Vol 52 No 15 | ZIMBABWE Spinning out of control 22nd July 2011 Four spin doctors vie for coverage on behalf of President Mugabe and his party as the battle over the next elections heats up The official line from President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and the highest policy-making body of his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, the Politburo, is that elections must be held...
Vol 52 No 15 | ZIMBABWE Unreliable economic barometer 22nd July 2011 The launch of the US$9.2 billion Medium Term Plan at Harare’s International Conference Centre on 7 July did not go according to plan. Although President Robert Mugabe and...
Vol 52 No 14 | ZIMBABWE Durbar without elephants 8th July 2011 The swelling procession of senior figures from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) snaking through the Harare divorce courts alongside wronged spouses clutching inventories of great wealth...
Vol 52 No 13 | ZIMBABWE Regional leaders take on the President 24th June 2011 President Mugabe’s men misjudged the mood of the summit in South Africa: they lost yet more political ground in the negotiations The performance of President Robert Mugabe’s team at the 11-12 June Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Sandton, Johannesburg, was little short of disastrous. They failed to...
Vol 52 No 13 | ZIMBABWE Reports of Mugabe’s demise 24th June 2011 Opposition politicians insist that President Robert Mugabe will retire before the end of 2011, which may be one reason why they want to delay the polls. The 87-year-old...
Vol 52 No 12 | ZIMBABWE Attacks cause new crisis 10th June 2011 With SADC leaders set to condemn the latest round of political attacks, the prospect of credible elections recedes into the distance again The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was to discuss the Zimbabwe question in South Africa on 11 June, to the probable strong displeasure of President Robert Mugabe and...