Diamonds rights activist Farai Maguwu, who this past summer was imprisoned by the Zimbabwean government and released ahead of the Kimberley Process plenary meeting in November, has criticized the KP's handing of the controversial issue of Zimbabwe's diamond exports.

In an interview to SW Radio Africa, Maguwu called the KP's refusal to take what he called "tough action" against Zimbabwe was a major concern. Maguwu said that Zimbabwe continues to violate international standards pertaining to the diamond trade.

Human rights groups continue to report ongoing abuses by government security forces in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond fields. Moreover, Bloomberg reported at the end of December that a number of NGOs active in Zimbabwe are worried that money from illegal trade in Marange diamonds is going to fund President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF political party – concerns that have been flatly denied by a party spokesman.

Zimbabwe's Minister of Mines Obert Mpofu remains staunch in his claims that Zimbabwe has not only met, but exceeded Kimberley Process requirements and argues that the continued embargo on the country's diamonds is a "politicization" of the watchdog process.

Maguwu, for his part, warns that a KP agreement on Zimbabwe's diamonds will be full of concessions to the government and accused the KP of bowing to "bullying."

"The fact that the KP continues to tolerate this bullying and still goes to lengths to accommodate Zimbabwe…. Is a danger to the credibility of the KP," Maguwu said.