FORMER ALLY CONTRADICTS MUGABE ON SLUM CLEARANCE

Mugabe apologists have supported his governments claims that the destruction of property in Harare is an operation – Operation Drive Out Rubbish – a long time in the planning and that the dispossessed will be given a place to live. A former Mugabe associate disagrees:

Mr Mbalekwa, a former senior director of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), was a member of Zanu-PF's senior body, the central committee, until resigning last Friday.

He said that neither the central committee nor MPs were consulted until the crackdown had already begun.

"This thing was not planned, it was done haphazardly, thereby causing a lot of suffering to people."

Making non-supporters suffer is the whole point.