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HH you are making it hard for democrats across Africa to support you – ex-Zimbabwe minister Coltart



Zimbabwe’s former minister of education, sports, arts and culture David Coltart has responded to a Reuters story on the closure of the courts in Zambia on the final day of the appeal saying it makes it hard for democrats across Africa to support his government.



”@HHichilema I hope this story is false. I urge you to investigate what is happening as this looks bad and makes it hard for democrats across Africa to support your government,” stated Coltart on his Twitter feed. “There can be no justification for the interference with judicial process.”



Reuters reported that the Zambian authorities closed the country’s top courts on Monday, blocking access to the premises on the last day that the opposition could file a challenge to this month’s disputed election.



And in a joint statement signed by LCK Freedom Foundation executive director Linda Kasonde, the 7 civil society organisations including Advocates for Democratic Governance, ActionAid Zambia, Carnitas Zambia, Chapter One Foundation, NGOCC and Free Press Initiative, the organisations denounced the unprecedented shutdown of the entire judiciary on the final day for filing of the presidential election petition, and demanded the immediate resumption of court services.



”The undersigned civil society organisations condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the sudden and total shutdown of the Judiciary of Zambia today, 24 August 2026 — the last day on which a petition challenging the results of the 13 August 2026 presidential election
may lawfully be filed under Article 103 of the Constitution,” read the statement in part.

“We have received credible reports that court premises across the country have been surrounded by members of the armed forces and security wings, and that judicial services have been suspended in their entirety, on the stated basis of an unspecified and unnamed ‘security threat.’ No further particulars of this alleged threat have been placed…https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/hh-you-are-making-it-hard-for-democrats-across-africa-to-support-you-ex-zimbabwe-minister-coltart/

More @ www.dailyrevelationzambia.com

Source: Zambian Observer — Read more

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