Zimbabwe's former finance minister has testified that armed, masked men in uniform abducted him from his home during the military operation leading to the ousting of Robert Mugabe and held him for a week in an unidentified location.

Dancing, cheering politicians approved sweeping constitutional changes today that prominent lawyers have called the greatest challenge yet to Zimbabwean civil liberties.

Police have rounded up hundreds of Zimbabwe activists who were helping organise weekend protest marches against the disputed election victory of President Robert Mugabe.