A Zimbabwean High Court Judge on Monday acquitted Roy Bennett, treasurer of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, of charges he conspired to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's former government in 2006, paving the way for him to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister. VOA Studio 7 correspondent Thomas Chiripasi reported that Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that the state failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Bennett possessed arms of war and conspired with impeached state witness Michael Peter Hitschmann to assassinate Mr. Mugabe and topple his government in 2006. Observers have applauded the decision saying it signals a more independent judiciary as opposed to a political concession from ZANU-PF, which has in the past exerted a strong influence on the courts.

 

Through Zimbabwe's constitutional reform process is six months behind schedule, a referendum approving the new basic document could be held in early 2011, a senior official managing the process said Monday. Deputy Co-Chairperson Gladys Dube-Gombami of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Revision said the outreach process is expected to unfold in June-July followed by drafting in August and September. A second round of stakeholders meetings are expected to be held in November-December with a national referendum on the finished document to be held early next year. Gombami said the committee has solicited tenders for visual and audio equipment to be used in the outreach program, noting that officials of the United Nations Development Program, a lead donor funding the process, was not happy with how funds were used and will now purchase such equipment based on the committee's requirements.

 

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is in Washington DC to accept the Harriman democracy and human rights award from the National Democratic Institute. The Prime Minister's spokesperson, James Maridadi, said Tsvangirai will receive the award jointly with the Network of Choco Women of Colombia, and that the award ceremony will coincide with the institute's 25th anniversary celebration.

Maridadi said: "The Prime Minister received the prestigious Harriman Award in recognition of his selfless effort in championing restoration of the rule of law, democracy and good governance in Zimbabwe and Africa." "Prime Minister Tsvangirai's dedication to democracy and the rule of law is there for all to see. He has suffered immensely at a personal level and at one time in his life, he spent more than a year staring the death sentence in the

 

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe normally rails against the West. But on Thursday, he made a rare public appearance at the World Economic Forum on Africa. He had come to woo foreign investors and persuade Western nations to lift sanctions on him. He showered the audience with charm and wit.

Dressed in a charcoal-gray suit with a matching blue tie and pocket handkerchief, Mr. Mugabe introduced his former rivals who were sharing a panel to discuss Zimbabwe's future. Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister, was once the opposition leader and Arthur Mutambara, the deputy prime minister who once campaigned against Mr. Mugabe. "This is the threesome that runs Zimbabwe at the moment," Mr. Mugabe said. "Age-wise—perhaps by comparative degrees—young, younger and youngest," he said, pointing by turns to himself, Mr. Tsvangirai, who is 58 years old, and Mr. Mutambara, who is 43. Mr. Mugabe is 86.