Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Tsvangirai arrested enroute to rally in Kwekwe
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
June 12, 2008

President Morgan Tsvangirai has been arrested in Kwekwe today as the regime tries once again to stop his trailblazing campaign.

The President was arrested just hours after MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti was arrested soon after arrival at the Harare International Airport.

In Kwekwe, the President's convoy, which includes a personalized campaign bus, was ordered to drive to Kwekwe Police Station. The convoy had initially been stopped a roadblock just before Kwekwe town.

This is the President's third arrest in a week. He was arrested in Lupane and Umzingwane last week soon after the police had prevented him from holding rallies.

No charge has yet been preferred against the President.

Thee whereabouts of Hon Biti, who was arrested even before his passport was stamped at Harare International Airport, are still unknown. He was last seen being shoved, with hands handcuffed, into a Mercedes Benz, registration number AAO 3822.

The President's personalised Victory Tour bus had earlier caused commotion along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway, with Zanu PF thugs indiscriminately beating up passers-by for waving at it.

President Tsvangirai's red bus, written 'Morgan Is The One' in bold letters and emblazoned with his face and the MDC logo and symbol on the sides, left for a victory campaign which was to see him pass through Norton, Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe and Gweru.

After Chegutu, the President's convoy, which also includes a red van, drove through Kadoma and then proceeded to Kwekwe, where he has now been detained.

In Kadoma, thousands of on-lookers went into a frenzy, jumped with joy and started waving at the President. But the joy was short-lived. Just after the President passed through, hordes of Zanu PF supporters started beating up people in the town for waving at the motorcade.

Earlier on, when he was still in Chegutu, President Tsvangirai drove through the town and had a brief stopover at the home of Takalani Matibe, the MP for Chegutu. Just after the President left, Zanu PF thugs stoned his house and looted property.

After Kwekwe, the President was expected to proceed to Gweru. But even in Gweru, news is that the police have already surrounded the Gweru Press Club where he was scheduled to address journalists later tonight.

The President's new campaign strategy of driving through cities and meeting people follows the regime's latest antics to prevent him from holding rallies. Last week, the President was prevented from holding several rallies in Matabeleland North and South.

He was also arrested twice in Lupane and Umzingwane on his way to address presidential rallies.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP