The Insider

President Robert Mugabe was a lonely leader who was increasingly alienated from a world over which he had dwindling influence and more distorted perceptions.

(70 VIEWS)

The task force on price controls ordered Air Zimbabwe, already dubbed Air Quasi-fiscal by one commentator because of its heavy reliance on central bank subsidies, to slash its fares when the government cracked down on prices in 2007 in what became known as “controlled looting”.

(63 VIEWS)

Publisher Trevor Ncube said Zimbabwe was being led by “clowns and bozos” who were nothing compared to the “clever if unscrupulous” Jonathan Moyo who had been fired from the government and was now an independent Member of Parliament.

(54 VIEWS)

Dutch farmers who had been evicted from their farms in Zimbabwe by the government under its land reform programme had to pay the required US$150 000 advance payment to the International Centre for the Settlement of Disputes so that it could hear their case after the Zimbabwe government said it did not have the money.

(134 VIEWS)

Former news editor of the Financial Gazette Nelson Banya said former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo might have used The Independent to tarnish the image of the Financial Gazette by claiming that it was partially owned by the Central Intelligence Organisation because he was close friends with the publisher Trevor Ncube.

(78 VIEWS)

Central bank governor Gideon Gono said he doled out US$2.8 million to Air Zimbabwe in 2006, out of national pride and safety concerns, so that the national airline could resume its daily flights to London without fear of its plane being seized.

(65 VIEWS)

With the decline of the Movement for Democratic Change since the March 2005 elections the United States embassy seemed to be focussing on the succession battles within the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.

(159 VIEWS)

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Zimbabwe section head John Gould said the West had to watch Air Zimbabwe’s safety because the airline was “cutting corners” on spare parts.

(298 VIEWS)

Eddison Zvobgo Jnr, one of the political players in Masvingo, said seven years ago that the departure of President Robert Mugabe could spell the end of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front but at the same time it would bring an overwhelming sense of national relief.

(73 VIEWS)

The government’s emphasis on relatively small gestures from China was an indication of how desperate for international support the Zimbabwe African national Union-Patriotic Front had become, opposition legislator Moses Mzila said.

(87 VIEWS)