Zimbabwe

Tsvangirai released from police detention

Article published on the 2008-06-12 Latest update 2008-06-13 12:05 TU

MDC party supporters welcome leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare, June 11, 2008.
(Photo: Reuters)

Police in Zimbabwe have released opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, after they arrested him while he campaigned for the country's June presidential run-off. It is the third time in just over a week that Tsvangirai has been detained by police.

Tsvangirai was detained for two hours near the central town of Kwekwe, his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said.

"We have all been released and now we are proceeding with our campaigns in Kwekwe," said Tsvangirai spokesman George Sibotshiwe.

Opposition and human rights groups accuse President Robert Mugabe's government of  a campaign of arrests and intimidation ahead of the run-off with Tsvangirai.

Police earlier on Thursday arrested the party's secretary general Tendai Biti at Harare airport as he flew in from South Africa. Biti left the country to gather support from other African countries after the elections in March.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the first round of elections in March but not by enough to avoid a run-off, according to official figures.

MDC accuses militias supported by Mugabe's party Zanu-PF of killing more than 60 of its supporters. Nelson Chamisa, MDC spokesman, told RFI that he was concerned for his safety but also for his country.

"We are all concerned about our safety, but at the end of the day it is not just about the leadership, it's about the entire population in the country. There is no security. We are dealing with a rogue regime," he said.

Meanwhile, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a 14-nation regional bloc, began deploying election observers across Zimbabwe on Thursday ahead of the tense presidential election runoff election.