The United Nations says it is sending a special envoy to Zimbabwe to investigate a government crackdown on squatter settlements that aid workers say has left 200,000 people homeless.
President Robert Mugabe's government says the clean-up campaign, which has been named ‘Operation Restore Order’, is meant to get rid of structures that have sprouted around urban centres in the last few years.
Mugabe’s government says these structures are a haven for illegal traders in foreign currency and scarce food items.
However, critics say the exercise, which has hit thousands of unregistered traders, has merely piled pressure on Zimbabweans faced with unemployment of over 70% and chronic shortages of foreign currency, fuel and food.
