Mugabe, Lord Of Corruption

The disgrace of Africa, Robert Mugabe is still wielding terrible power over the country he has all but destroyed.

His latest little scam is to stop the 'register of land holdings' being completed, because it will prove that he, his family, and his cronies have benefited most from the theft of 'white farmer' lands over the last couple of decades.

Northern Mashonaland Central province is a favoured area with prime agricultural land and the ownership of the 'appropriated farms' reads like a 'who's who' in Mugabe's government. Even within that corruption, there are further layers of criminality with many top officials owning more than one farm, which is in direct violation of the dictators own rule of "one man, one farm".

"They are registered under different names, relatives - even children" says one 'resettled' farmer.

However as it's common knowledge that Mr Mugabe owns Highfield Farm, in Norton, about 40km (25 miles) outside Harare and he and his wife have also appeared on state TV declaring that they jointly owned Gushungo Dairy Farm in Mashonaland Central, then its fair to assume that the "one man, one farm" policy is really just an aspiration.

Indeed one unnamed cabinet minister has defended the president's conduct, saying: "If it's true that Mugabe owned more than one farm, we mustn't forget he is the father of the nation. He spent over a decade in jail fighting for your freedom. Don't compare yourself, or even me, with him."