Mugabe's man accuses 'lying' UN

President Robert Mugabe’s government accused UN officials of ”spreading lies” about Zimbabwe today, deepening a rift between the country and the world body.

Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge said he had summoned the UN World Food Programme representative to his office yesterday to explain a report compiled by one of its officials that outlined increasing crime and lawlessness in the troubled southern African nation.

“There is a persistent trend of malicious intent on the part of some UN staffers in Zimbabwe who are deliberately demonising this country and its leadership through lies and misinformation,” Mudenge said in the capital, Harare.

“It is unfortunate the United Nations in Harare continues to tolerate people who tarnish the name of Zimbabwe. This is unacceptable to the government.”

The report warning of a sharp rise in violent crime – including street robbery, rapes and vehicle hijacking – was compiled by Zimbabwean WFP official Denis Mpanda, whom Mudenge said was “probably drunk.”

“He just sits down, his hangover gets to him, and he puts it out,” Mudenge said.

He also complained about an official at the UN Development Programme who previously described Zimbabwe as ”a no-go country,” where policing was ineffective and the lives of UN personnel were in danger.

Mudenge accused UN officials sympathetic to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change of using their positions to promote a political agenda with “evil intent” against the country.

Mudenge’s comments came after UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s special envoy for humanitarian needs in southern Africa cancelled a planned trip to Zimbabwe, saying neither Mugabe nor his top officials were available to meet him.