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Zimbabwe Law Society accused of plotting regime change
Floyd Nkomo, The Zimbabwe Guardian
March 03, 2008

Relations between the Law Society of Zimbabwe and Government have been further severed by more revelations that the legal body has been receiving funds secretly from the United Kingdom government aimed at effecting regime change in the southern African country.

The Zimbabwe government alleges that Britain has stepped up efforts to effect regime change by secretly funding organisations in Zimbabwe that are bent at illegitimately facilitating the removal the government of President Robert Mugabe.

A copy of the letter availed to the Zimbabwe Guardian confirms that the British government has "recently increased its funding towards civil society organisations (doctors, lawyers, NGOs) that are working for democratic change from £2,5 million to £3,3 million."

The letter was written by British PM Gordon Brown to Andrew Holroyd the Law Society's president following a request to the British Law Society by the Law Society of Zimbabwe.

The British government has confirmed that the letter was legitimate but was shocked that the government of Zimbabwe had managed to obtain a copy. It was meant to be top secret according to British Law Society spokesman Steve Rudaini.

Rudaini confirmed PM Brown wrote to Holroyd, about the situation in Zimbabwe, and confirmed that the letter was not a forgery.

Rudaini said the letter was no longer available and had been previously made public in error.

Zimbabwe's Ministry of Information and Publicity alleges that it has contacts in PM Gordon Brown's office that are sympathetic to Zimbabwe. These contacts had provided access to these documents.

LSZ president Ms Beatrice Mtetwa initially denied requesting for assistance from the British law society, but another letter, also availed to the Zimbabwe Guardian, written by the LSZ, provides evidence that a request of £100 000 was made by the legal body and BLS had raised the amount.

It is not illegal for the legal body to raise funds externally, but the law requires that those funds be declared.

According to an official from the Information ministry, "A recent report by the International Issues Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales indicates that LSZ has indeed been lobbying for financial aid on political grounds."

Minutes of the International Committee quote the LSZ as advising that "the situation in Zimbabwe had become untenable and that pressure on President Mugabe was imperative."

The British government is accussed by President Mugabe of effecting regime change in Zimbabwe since 2000 when the farm acquisition programme began.

The British government is also accussed of channelling funds through organisations purporting to be concerned with human rights and the building of democratic institutions in the country.

According to the UK's Observer newspaper (21 May 2000) one such organisation is the Zimbabwe Democracy Trust (ZDT) whose patrons, all white politicians and businessmen, have substantial interests in mining and energy concerns in Zimbabwe.

The Observer newspaper said: "In April, ZDT organised the visit to London and Washington of Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition group in Zimbabwe. During the visits he met British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Susan Rice.

"The visits followed a visit to South Africa with an itinerary which included meetings with prominent figures in the business community, including the mining giant Anglo-American, which has interests in Zimbabwe."

John Makumbe, lecturer in political science at the University of Zimbabwe was quoted as saying: 'It cannot be ruled out that the ZDT viewed the Movement for Democratic Change as a way of facilitating their own interests. It is largely white Rhodesians who are backing the trust. Morgan is fully aware of the ZDT agenda'

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that the law society was now a political party as it was "soliciting from British and other foreign governments' funds to engage in active politics."

"Regrettably, they are no longer a professional body and as Minister of Justice I will no longer treat them as a professional society, but a political opposition party." I am contemplating to take measures that will restore the integrity of the law society so that they can focus on their core business. Those of the law society who want to play politics are free to do so by joining or forming political parties and not use a professional body to achieve their political ends," said Chinamasa.

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