Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government has recalled parliament for an emergency session to tighten a law governing its controversial seizures of white-owned farms.
"There are a number of urgent matters on the parliamentary table, and these include regularising amendments to the Land Acquisition Act..." one official said.
Mr Mugabe, who is accused by the opposition and many Western powers of cheating in presidential polls two months ago, says he wants to finish his fast-track land redistribution by August.
The southern African country has been in crisis since February 2000, when militants encouraged by the government began invading white-owned farms and killing many of the land owners.
Zimbabwe is facing a severe food shortage caused by the farm disruptions coupled with drought.
Mr Mugabe's Act of 2001 temporarily amended the Land Acquisition Act to give the government full rights over the land and to fine or jail for up to two years any farmer or anyone else found guilty of interfering with the resettlement exercise.
The Act also gave affected farmers three months to stay in their farm houses before vacating and said those who refused to move would be evicted by court order.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said parliament had been recalled to endorse the amendments because the presidential Act's six-month life-span was expiring this month and the amendments must be endorsed by parliament to remain in force.
"We want the law to remain in force to enable the land redistribution process to proceed smoothly," Mr Chinamasa said.