No change in Zimbabwe:
At least ten candidates for Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have been arrested for putting up posters or trying to campaign ahead of this month’s parliamentary election, party officials said yesterday.
While Robert Mugabe, the president, boasts that the election on 31 March will be free and fair, the opposition says its members are harassed daily by police and ruling party supporters.
“MDC candidates and activists appear to be the target of increasing police harassment as polling day approaches,” said Paul Themba Nyathi, an MDC spokesman.
Late last month, Godfrey Chimombe, an MDC candidate, and two party activists were arrested in the rural Shamva district near Harare for putting up campaign posters on a wall already plastered with fliers for Mr Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).
An opposition candidate for Mount Darwin alleged he was assaulted by ZANU-PF councillors in northern Mount Darwin last week.
“Police are actually participating in a process of torturing and intimidating MDC members ahead of general elections,” Henry Chimbiri told the Standard newspaper.
Police deny the claim. Mr Mugabe, who is accused of stealing the last two elections in Zimbabwe, is riding high on expressions of solidarity from regional leaders including South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki.
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