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Morgan Tsvangirai arrested

Andrew Meldrum

Mugabe announces bid for re-election as President

— PHOTO: AFP

RIGHTS DENIED: The main Opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai speaks to officials and party members after being denied the right to address a public meeting in Harare on Sunday.

Johannesburg (SOUTH AFRICA): Ignoring growing opposition to his rule, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe announced on Sunday that he would run for re-election as President, shortly before riot police clamped down on a prayer rally planned for Harare.

One protester was shot dead by police and the leader of the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai, was arrested, along with 110 top Opposition figures as they tried to attend the ``Save Zimbabwe'' prayer meeting.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said police arrested Mr Tsvangirai and other top party officials as they ``instigated people to come out and commit acts of violence''. Mr Bvudzijena said that one man was shot and killed when 200 Opposition party ``thugs'' attacked about 20 policemen. He told state television that three police officers were injured.

Youths, police clash

An MDC official said: ``Mr Tsvangirai was arrested as he was driving out of Highfield [township]. We don't know where he is being held at the moment.''

Youths threw stones at police and set up burning street barricades in Highfield, where the prayer rally was to be held. Water cannon and tear gas were used to disperse the crowds.

Speaking to the Guardian during a visit to South Africa on Saturday, Mr Tsvangirai said: ``The regime is under siege because so many people are hungry. Desire for change has never been so strong. It is against this background that our party demands a new constitution that will ensure free and fair conditions in the presidential elections in 2008.''

Mr Mugabe was quoted in the Southern Times, a regional newspaper published jointly by the Zimbabwean and Namibian state media, as saying that he would run in 2008. ``If the party says so, I will stand,'' said Mr Mugabe. If he wins, he will be 90 years old when his new term expires in 2014.

Mr Tsvangirai vowed there would be more demonstrations against Mr Mugabe's rule in the lead-up to elections, despite a ban. ``We will make the dictatorship costly,'' he said. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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