New land regulations

The Zimbabwean government has published new regulations which aim to ensure that the government has an option to buy, any rural land up for sale, media reports said on Tuesday.

The government gazette notice said that all owners of rural land other than the government, local authorities or a statutory body, may not sell nay land unless it has first been offered to the Lands and Agricultural minister, Kumbirai Kangani. It said that if the state indicated that it had no intention of buying the land, Kangani may issue a certificate declaring this and give the go-ahead for sale.

Earlier this year, the government was criticised by African farmers in Zimbabwe, when an Anglo American subsidiary sold its general agricultural operations including the historic Mazoe citrus estate to Interfresh, a company specialising in exporting fruit, vegetables and flowers. The farmers said that the farms should first have been offered to black Zimbabweans before the sale was agreed upon.

New opposition party launched

A new political opposition party has been launched in Zimbabwe ahead of the legislative elections next year.

According to news reports on Tuesday, the Zimbabwe Integrated Party (ZIP) was launched at the week-end and is headed by a mathematics professor, Heneri Dzinotyiweyi. He criticised the ruling ZANU-PF party leadership saying that they were "enriching themselves at the expense of the public." He added: "It is incorrect for some people to be in misery while others are living in glory."

About a dozen political parties are currently registered in Zimbabwe. However, none have been able to mount an effective challenge to the ruling party. The labour movement is expected to launch its own political party later this year.