Zimbabwe’s decision to block the entry of the United Nations special rapporteur on torture has highlighted disarray and confusion in the eight-month old government of national unity.

Manfred Nowak, an Austrian academic, said he had been invited to visit earlier this week by Morgan Tsvangirai, the prime minister and leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. He was denied entry and detained overnight at Harare airport by immigration officials apparently acting on the orders of President Robert Mugabe and other Zanu PF ministers.