afrol News, 2 June - President Mugabe's regime has arrested two prominent opposition leaders and banned Movement for Democratic Change rallies ahead of 27 June presidential run-off elections.

Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leader, Arthur Mutambara, was arrested in his home on Sunday following a written opinion piece attacking President Robert Mugabe's rule in April this year.

Mr Mutambara's arrest comes at a critical time when the country is preparing for June presidential runoff poll. The editor of the country's independent Sunday paper, 'The Standard' was also arrested last month in relation to Mr Mutambara's article.

Mr Mutambara fell out with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in 2005 in a dispute over whether to contest elections to the largely ceremonial Senate and commanded the loyalty of nearly half the parliamentary party until joint legislative and presidential elections on 29 March. The two men subsequently agreed to join forces in parliament, although there has been no formal merger.

On the other hand, over the weekend, the opposition party's presidential candidate, Mr Tsvangirai, canceled two election rallies in Matabeleland Province, after being informed by police that political rallies would only be allowed after the run-off.

The party's spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, said apart from the shift of rules and positions, intimidation was also continuing with people being beaten by ruling party supporters in the villages.

Mr Mugabe's wife, Mrs Grace, was quoted in the state-owned newspaper on Friday saying Mr Tsvangirai would never set foot in the president's office.

Mr Tsvangirai officially won more votes than President Mugabe in a 29 March election, though not enough to avoid a run-off.

In reaction to Mr Tsvangirai's call on deployment on observers, Southern African Development Community (SADC) executive secretary, Tomas Salamao, promised observers would be sent this week.

Meanwhile, the two MDC factions turned up with different candidates at nomination courts for three parliamentary by-elections, to run concurrently with the Presidential run-off on 27 June. However, MDC faction representatives said fielding opposing candidates did not mean they would continue the squabbling which cost them a clear majority in Parliament in March polls.

The move by the party, shattered hopes of MDC supporters who were hoping that party merger would forge a common front against Zanu PF.

Zanu PF, which lost its Parliamentary majority for the first time since independence 1980, is determined to reverse the MDC gains as it bids to ensure President Mugabe, who lost to Mr Tsvangirai on 29 March, wins the run-off.

Since the March polls, Zimbabwe has recorded severe human rights violations with more than 50 people reported dead while tens of thousands are displaced. With the run-off election the only remaining hope of resolving Zimbabwe's political impasse, a failure to secure a political climate that is conducive to a free and fair run-off election would be equivalent to embracing a rigged election, political analysts have said.

Observers in and outside Zimbabwe have criticised the latest government tactics as a ploy by Mr Mugabe to cement his position in power.

The outspoken South African opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson, Tony Leon, appealed to SADC mediator on Zimbabwe crisis to call upon Zimbabwean President Mugabe to immediately release one of the MDC's key representatives.

"Arthur Mutambara's arrest is evidence that Mugabe is bent on extending his stay in power at all cost. Not only is his arrest a repression of freedom of speech and political activity, but an orchestrated ploy by the Mugabe regime to destabilize the MDC's campaign for the run-off election," he said.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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