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Zimbabwe opposition leader arrested ahead of by-election
ZimOnline
May 19, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=12133

HARARE - The leader of one of the factions of Zimbabwe's splintered opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, Arthur Mutambara, was on Friday morning arrested by the police while campaigning for his faction's candidate in a parliamentary by-election tomorrow.

Mutambara, who is being held at Glen View police station, was arrested together with about 40 other officials and supporters of his party, who included the party's candidate in the poll, Gabriel Chaibva.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said he was unable to speak on the opposition leader's arrest because he had not yet been briefed on the matter.

But an MDC official, Maxwell Zimuto, who is among the people detained with Mutambara, said the police had not charged them yet.

Zimuto said: "The police have not read out any charges against us . . . more than 50 people who include youths and party officials are in detention and we are waiting for the police to lay out the charges before our lawyers can deal with the issue."

The by-election is being held to fill a House of Assembly seat left vacant after the death last February of MDC legislator, Gabriel Shoko. Budiriro constituency which straddles over parts of Glen View suburb is a stronghold of the MDC.

But President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU PF party is hoping to benefit from a split in the opposition party's vote whose two factions are each fielding a candidate.

The larger faction of the MDC led by founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai is fielding Emanuel Chisvuure in the poll while ZANU PF is being represented by Jeremiah Bvirindi.

The arrest of the MDC team brings to over a hundred the number of people arrested by police this week in a fresh crackdown against dissension.

Among those arrested are several civic society activists arrested for trying to organise public prayers and marches to commemorate last year's controversial demolition of shantytowns and city backyard cottages by the government.

Police have banned the planned marches and prayers fearing they could easily turn into mass protests against the government, blamed by many Zimbabweans for the bitter economic crisis the country is facing. - ZimOnline

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