Zimbabwe

Opposition chief Tsvangirai detained by police

Article published on the 2008-06-04 Latest update 2008-06-05 06:17 TU

Morgan Tsvangirai in Northern Ireland, May 2008
(Photo: AFP)

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and a number of his top aides were arrested on Wednesday after being detained by police at a roadblock for two hours, party officials said. The action comes only a few weeks before the 27 June runoff presidential elections. The former union leader was attacked last year by security officials after he tried to stage an anti-government rally.

"They have not given us any reason for the arrest," said Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson Nelson Chamisa. "The police just said our bosses want to see you."

The party maintains that the MDC has been the target of attacks by supporters of current President Robert Mugabe, saying that 58 of its supporters have been killed in recent weeks.

"This has been a series of activities and plans by [ruling party] ZANU-PF to try and make it impossible for [Tsvangirai,] our president to campaign...they are just trying to make the whole situation unbearable," Chamisa told RFI after the arrest.

Tsvangirai is in the runoff elections against Mugabe in an effort to unseat him after a 28-year presidency.

Tsvangirai is participating in the polls reluctantly, asserting that he won an outright majority in the first round in March.

In related news, three international aid agencies, including Care International and Save the Children UK, have been ordered to leave Zimbabwe after being accused of campaigning for the MDC before the  29 March election.