Justice for Agriculture (JAG) on Friday warned that ZANU PF will stand in the way of a transparent land audit, arguing the party will go out of its way to control the process for its own benefit.

The European Commission this week said it is ready to fund an audit of the land 'reform' programme, saying an audit is a key step to resolving Zimbabwe's land issues. Head of the Commission's delegation to Zimbabwe, Xavier Marchal, said: "We are ready to assist the government to implement an inclusive, transparent, and comprehensive land audit . . . which should be aimed at resolving the land issue. This is the bigger picture, which cannot be ignored if Zimbabwe's agriculture is to become highly successful again."

But the likelihood of a transparent audit involving the government is slim, with JAG's John Worsley-Worswick explaining on Friday that an audit, independent of any political party, is the only way forward.

"ZANU PF cannot afford to have an independent audit, because they will want to camouflage and cover up their destruction of the land," Worsley-Worswick explained.

The JAG official added that a well-funded, well-resourced and independent commission is the only way the land 'reform' programme will be exposed for causing "a national disaster." Worsley-Worswick continued that an audit is not a 'massive' task, with all the real, legitimate information being closely protected by farmers' rights groups, such as the Commercial Farmers Union. But explained it is the lack of 'political will' that will stand in the way of an audit uncovering the truth.

While promising to help the government with an audit, the European Commission's Marchal also called on the coalition to take responsibility for the collapse of the sector as a result of state-sponsored land seizure. He said: "Government has to take its responsibilities. The decline in the agricultural production is indeed related to failing government polices associated to issues relating to the way the land and agrarian reform programme has been conducted. These need to be addressed by government."

The ongoing seizure of commercial land in the name of land 'reform' is among key issues that have soured relations with the European Union, who imposed targeted 'shopping' sanctions on key members of Mugabe's regime, as well as on the dictator himself. This year's renewed offensive against commercial farmers has also been a critical barrier against financial aid for the unity government, with potential donors saying the money is available as soon as critical reforms are in place.

The agreement that formed the basis for the coalition promised to undertake a comprehensive land audit that would set the stage for an orderly and equitable reform programme in the collapsed agricultural sector. But the government has refused to follow through on this particular promise, citing a lack of resources. Lands Minister Herbert Murerwa last month said the government needed US$30 million to carry out the land audit, money which the government simply does not have.