Zimbabwe
Tsvangirai arrived Zimbabwe by 'alternative means'

afrol.com, 9 October - The leader of the Zimbabwean MDC opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, tricked the Zimbabwean police by entering the country by 'alternative means'. He was scheduled to arrive at Harare airport today, where police were waiting to arrest him for for allegedly treasonous statements. Three MP's of the MDC were however arrested last night on unspecified charges.

On Saturday, the MDC sent out an alert "encouraging supporters of Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC to gather at Harare International Airport to welcome him home on Monday October 09, 2000" as they feared his detention by the police on arrival. There were reports of a high level presence of police officers at Harare Airport since Friday, awaiting Tsvangirai's return. It was generally assumed that the police was to effect the arrest that the governing party ZANU-PF has directed. This has been confirmed by the state-owned and government close Sunday Mail.

Speaking on BBC World, MDC spokesman Welshman Ncube said it would emerge soon whether the police wanted to arrest him or merely question him. "But we have no doubt that they will seek to charge him, sooner rather than later," he added, according to BBC.

MDC spokesmen have stated that the intention to arrest Tsvangirai is "legally unjustified and politically unwise and dangerous", as it is likely to spark unnecessary conflict and violence within the country.

The MDC does not wish to disclose how Tsvangirai got into the country after his business trip to South Africa. It seems, however, certain that the party was well informed of Tsvangirai's movements and were a local support to his cat and mouse play with Zimbabwean police. Last night, the party sent a news alert to its supporters saying "Today the MDC is in receipt of strategic and sensitive information requiring a change in plans for Monday October 09's gathering at the Harare International Airport." Crowding masses on the airport thus were avoided.

Three MDC Parliamentarians were arrested last night on unspecified charges. They were planning the reactions to a possible arrest of their leader, Tsvangirai. According to PANA, there was no immediate police comment on the arrest of the three MPs, which analysts believe, is likely to raise sharply political tension in the country.

The enhanced tension between the two parties has its background in a speech by MDC leader Tsvangirai last weekend, addressing a crowd of 20.000 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare. "If you don't want to go peacefully we will remove you violently," he said, referring to Mugabe. The MDC was celebrating the party's first anniversary. A spokesman of ZANU-PF, the following day replied on state television that his party had the capacity to respond to any violence with violence.

This week, several high ranking ZANU-PF officials have called for the arrest of Tsvangirai for his "inciting violence". However, an MDC spokesman says that "it is ironic and illogical that Zanu PF officials are pushing for Tsvangirai's arrest on allegations that he committed treasonous acts by 'inciting violence' at a rally at Rufaro Stadium on 30 September, when similar and much worse statements by almost the entirety of Zanu PF leadership have gone by uncondemned and unpunished."

Source: Based on Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 

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