The mayor of Harare and eight councillors are to face trial for criminal defamation of a tycoon loyal to President Robert Mugabe, a court ordered on Wednesday. The move comes after the council had urged that businessman Phillip Chiyangwa be prosecuted for corruption over massive land deals in the city. Chiyangwa, a wealthy tycoon, plus one of Mugabe's ministers, were accused in a detailed report two weeks ago of corruptly acquiring hundreds of hectares of prime land in the capital, in collusion with council officials, when the city was governed by unelected officials appointed by Mugabe.

But in stead of investigating the Zanu-PF officials, police arrested Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda and eight councillors involved in unearthing the alleged corrupt deals.

 

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday said conflicting messages from his coalition government with President Robert Mugabe have fuelled uncertainty about Zimbabwe’s economic direction to discourage investors whose funds the country needs to rebuild its shattered economy.

Tsvangirai – whose MDC party has publicly differed with Mugabe’s ZANU PF over how to transfer control of the economy to local blacks – said there was no consultation on policy formulation, while policies implemented by the government had failed to create a predictable environment for investors.

“As a government we acknowledge that we have not been able to implement policies that ensure predictability for investment in our economy,” Tsvangirai told a business leaders’ conference on the sidelines of the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).

 

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, today despite protests by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change. Riot police attacked commuters yesterday on Julius Nyerere Way, in Harare. It is believed that they wanted to discourage people from congregating on the street, which is the route the Irananian leader was likely to take from the airport. Police refused to comment on the assault on the public. Ahmadinejad was expected to open Zimbabwe's Trade Fair. Earlier this week, the Iranian leader sent his special envoy, Mohammad Abassi, to invite President Robert Mugabe to next month's G15 summit in Teheran. The friendship between Mugabe and the Middle East strongman does not please all of Zimbabwe's politicians.

 

Political tension over Zimbabwe's controversial Marange diamond field surged Wednesday as officers of the law and order section of the Zimbabwe Republic Police tried to serve a summons on parliamentary mines committee member Moses Mare, MDC legislator for Chiredzi South, in connection with a Marange probe. Sources in Parliament said it was unclear why the police wanted to call Mare before a magistrate, but said that the officers demanded his home address, insisting that they wanted to hand him the court summons in person. Mare has been outspoken about the secrecy enveloping the Marange diamond mining operations and the not-so-subtle resistance of Mines Minister Obert Mpofu to any questions about or investigation the state's partnership with two private firms developing the field. Mpofu has refused to grant the committee clearance to carry out a fact-finding mission in Marange.