United States freezes assets of Mugabe's men

United States freezes assets of Mugabe's men

• New Zealand bars Mugabe banker

• Belgium in visa snub for Zimbabwe minister

• Gono targeted in EU sanctions review

• Gono escapes as EU travel ban list extended

• Australia tightens Mugabe travel sanctions

• Mugabe invited Prince Charles to Harare!

• Prince Charles in Mugabe handshake row

• Foes reunited at Pope funeral

• Pope would have wanted Mugabe at funeral, or any criminal

• The 'unclean' among the 'clean' at the Vatican

• Mugabe in Vatican for Pope's funeral

• EU renews targeted sanctions against Mugabe

• Full text of EU sanctions renewal agreement

• Bid to bar Mugabe envoy from EU-ACP Hague meeting

• Zanu PF MPs' UK trip causes storm

• Zim sports minister grumbles over Olympics ban

• Zimbabwe Minister barred from Olympics

• EU extends targeted sanctions

• Mudede, Mahoso on EU sanctions list

• Leave us alone - Mugabe

• EU to extend sanctions on Mugabe

• Gono met by protesters in SA

• Rough ride for Mugabe's banker in UK

• Mugabe banker's UK trip sparks protests

• Gono beats sanctions, allowed into UK

• Gono to visit UK to raise funds

By Staff Reporter

THE United States on Wednesday froze the U.S. assets of 26 Zimbabwean entities it said are controlled by key members of President Robert Mugabe's government, accusing them of undercutting democracy in Zimbabwe.

Under an executive order issued by President George W. Bush, the Treasury Department "designated" 24 commercial farms and two businesses controlled by Mugabe administration officials who the U.S. government says are undermining democratic processes in Zimbabwe.

The move freezes their access to the U.S. financial system and prohibits U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

"The Mugabe regime rules through politically motivated violence and intimidation and has triggered the collapse of the rule of law in Zimbabwe," said Robert Werner, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

"By denying the Mugabe regime access to the U.S. financial system and U.S. persons, we're cutting off the flow of support they could use to further destabilize Zimbabwe," he said.

Zimbabwe is reeling from its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain 25 years ago, triggered by government seizures of white-owned farms for resettlement of landless blacks and allegations of vote rigging.

The Treasury Department said the commercial farms are among those handed to favored members of Mugabe's government following his chaotic land redistribution scheme.

The two businesses include Cold Comfort Farm Trust Co-operative, an agricultural cooperative controlled by National Security Minister Didymus Noel Mutasa, and Ndlovu Motorways, controlled by Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, an official with Mugabe's Zanu PF.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com