Zimbabwe

Four opposition activists killed as MDC's Biti is charged with subversion

Article published on the 2008-06-19 Latest update 2008-06-20 10:17 TU

MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti
Photo: Reuters

In Zimbabwe four opposition supporters were found dead today after being abducted two days ago; their party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says that 70 of its supporters have now been killed in the run-up to next week's second round of the hotly contested presidential election.

The authorities in Zimbabwe have filed official charges against Tendai Biti, the second-in-command of the MDC, the country's opposition party. Biti is accused of treason and the prosecution will oppose bail on the basis that the charges carry the death penalty.

The MDC today said that four of its supporters had been killed following their abduction on Tuesday.

"Now it's about 70 we've lost," said MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa.

Another opposition politician, Shuwa Mudiwa, was arrested yesterday for alleged kidnapping and another six MDC MPs were declared wanted for alleged murder, public violence and vandalism. Eleven people believed to be MDC activists were also arrested in the town of Chinhoyi for allegedly damaging posters of President Mugabe.

Opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been arrested five times during the campaign ahead of next week's vote.

The US ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, said today that he did not believe that a negotiated government was the solution for the country.

South African media report that President Thabo Mbeki, who visited Zimbabwe Wednesday, tried to persuade President Robert Mugabe to cancel next week's vote. Mbeki also met Tsvangirai.

The South African leader is the mediator appointed by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). The group fears that the upcoming vote will not be fair, according to Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe. Membe described the situation as "having deteriorated".