afrol News, 5 June - Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was freed from his nine-hour detention yesterday evening. He hastily left the city of Bulawayo this morning to continue his election campaign. Also the opposition party's Vice President and the Chairman were released.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in a press release this morning confirmed that Mr Tsvangirai and his top party officials had been able to leave Bulawayo this morning following "his nine hours of unlawful detention yesterday." All had been released without charge.

Mr Tsvangirai was detained at a roadblock by police while on his campaign trail in the western Zimbabwean village of Lupane, close to Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo. No reasons were advanced for the surprise police action.

Prior to his departure, the MDC leader said that the treatment he received yesterday was "yet another indication of the lengths that the Mugabe regime is prepared to go to in order to try and steal the election." The MDC has been banned from campaigning in most of the party's key strongholds, including the western provinces of Matabeleland and Mr Tsvangirai claims government officials were plotting to assassinate him.

Despite the alleged foul playing by President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF, Mr Tsvangirai says he is determined to beat his rival at the 27 June run-off presidential polls. The opposition leader won more votes than President Mugabe in the first round in end-March, but the electoral commission held he did not get enough votes to avoid a run-off.

Despite the continued harassment, Mr Tsvangirai demonstrated optimism as he went back on the election trail today: "Our resolve for a new beginning, and a new Zimbabwe remains unshaken. We are convinced of the justness of our cause, and we will not waiver until we restore the dignity of all the people of Zimbabwe," the opposition leader said.

Yesterday's detention of Mr Tsvangirai caused outrage in Zimbabwe and around the world. Sharp worded protests were emitted by the US government, the British Foreign Affairs Minister, the EU Commission and human rights groups around the world. "The situation raises the wider concern that appropriate conditions be in place ahead of and during the second round of presidential elections," noted for example EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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