20091222
allafrica

Harare — President Robert Mugabe's loyalists have stepped up pressure on Nestlé's Zimbabwe unit to force it to reverse its decision to stop accepting milk from his wife's dairy farm.

In October, the Swiss owned company stopped buying milk from Mrs Grace Mugabe's Gushungo Estates after international human rights activists launched a global campaign for the boycott of the food giant's products.

The groups accused Mrs Mugabe of violently seizing the estate from a white commercial farmer.

But the decision was not taken lightly by Mr Mugabe's supporters who say it was part of "illegal sanctions."

On Monday, Nestle managers were summoned to a Harare police station a day after two Zanu ministers tried to force the company to accept Mrs Mugabe's estate. The managers' lawyer, Mr Selby Hwacha said they were released without charge but this is being seen as part of efforts way of intimidating the company to start accepting the milk.

Only last week, at least six workers from Gushungo Dairy Estates stormed Nestle's headquarters in Harare demanding that the company resume milk orders.

Nestle's was buying 10 to 15 per cent of milk processed at its Harare plant from Mrs Mugabe's farm.