Airstrip One

Zim Watch

The EU has been allowed to send in monitors, but have banned observers from certain nations (including Britain). The idea is to get the EU to make a fuss about the excluded nations, while drawing attention to the fact that Zimbabwe is allowing in observers and making the EU look as if it wants to condemn the elections before voting. The EU seems to obligingly fall into the trap. The South Africans will also be observing. Mugabe, in the meantime has entrusted the overseeing of the election in the tender hands of the military and intelligence aparatus. The MDC claim that they have army backing too.

The land seizures are more popular than we think in the West, as evidenced by Mbeki moving up a gear with land reform in South Africa. For a taste of the more refined Zanu propoganda, click here.

The courts have ruled that the Harare municipal elections will not be held before the elections. A blow to the MDC, who have also vowed to continue rallies (after very publicly cancelling them). 40 MDC activists, including 3 MPs were arrested on supposed firearms charges. The Human Rights NGO forum report that Zanu killed 16 in January.

The head of the observer mission in Zimbabwe looks compromised when Tony Blair offered debt relief in return for his home country backing action against Zimbabwe, as well as economic reform.

The old days are back, import substitution has come again.