Mugabe supporters on rampage

There is more violence ahead of presidential elections

Supporters of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe have rampaged through the capital Harare beating local residents and looting shops.

The violence began on Monday when an estimated 100 youths descended upon the townships of Kuwadzana and Mabvuku.

President Mugabe faces elections in March

The main opposition party said the young militants attacked people as part of Mr Mugabe's re-election campaign.

Police have not commented on the incidents.

The violence came after the publication on Monday of the names of 1,000 people who had been allocated land to be seized from white farmers.

Looting

A local resident in Kuwadzana said the attackers were supporters of the governing Zanu-PF party.

"I was coming home from town, when I saw people running, running," the witness told AFP news agency, fearing to give his name.

"These Zanu-PF people were stealing from the shops, beating people - even in their houses," he said.

In a statement, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said: "This group of about 100 youths was beating up people, accusing them of being MDC supporters."

"[They were] graduates from the Border Gezi Training Camp who, being trained ostensibly under a national youth service training program ... randomly beat up and harassed the residents of Kuwadzana," before moving on to the Mabvuku township, said the MDC's national youth chairman, Nelson Chamisa.

The conflict has further impoverished Zimbabweans

Mr Chamisa said it had become apparent that "this so-called national youth training service is in fact a Zanu-PF party service where the murderous Zanu-PF is recruiting children to terrorise their parents".

Land redistribution

On Monday, Zimbabwe's main state-owned newspaper, The Herald, said the first 1,000 names were part of a list to be published in full over the next few days of 100,000 black Zimbabweans who will benefit from the land redistribution.

Some of the occupations have been violent

About 1,700 white-owned farms have already been occupied - some violently - by supporters of President Robert Mugabe in the controversial land reform programme that is at the heart of the country's political crisis.

The 8.5 million hectares earmarked for seizure in the run-up to presidential elections next March make up 95% of the land currently owned by white Zimbabweans.

Correspondents say Mr Mugabe believes that seizing land from white farmers is a vote-winner and he has made the policy a key part of his campaign for re-election.