DATE=10/02/00
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-267347
TITLE=ZIMBABWE / POLITICS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=MARTIN RUSHMERE
DATELINE=HARARE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Police in Zimbabwe say they might arrest opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai for threatening President Robert Mugabe. As Martin Rushmere reports from Harare, Mr. Tsvangirai, who is president of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said at a rally Saturday that Mr. Mugabe should retire peacefully or face a national uprising.
TEXT: The police spokesman, Wayne Bvudzijena, says Mr. Tsvangirai could be arrested because public threats of violence are unlawful. But police have given no indication of what charges might be made against the M-D-C president.
President Mugabe's ZANU-P-F party reacted strongly to the remarks by Mr Tsvangirai. The ruling party spokesman for information, Nathan Shamuyarira, said violence will be met with equal force. Mr. Shamuyarira said -- in his words -- "The area of violence is where ZANU-P-F has a very long and successful history."
The speaker of Zimbabwe's parliament, Emmerson Mnanagagwa, called for Mr. Tsvangirai to be prosecuted for treason.
The M-D-C leader flew out of Zimbabwe shortly after his speech for a three-day visit to Europe. Party leaders said the trip is connected with M-D-C business but declined to give further details.
Zimbabwe's economic difficulties have worsened, with the country on Monday being classed by the World Bank as one of 12 nations that have failed to repay loans from the bank.
The World Bank says the country has been in default for more than six months on loans totaling 47-million dollars and has been placed in what the bank terms "non-accrual status." The bank's deputy representative in Zimbabwe, Rogier van Der Brink, says that means Zimbabwe will have to pay back its loans before receiving any more financial support from the World Bank. (Signed)
NEB/MR/KL/JWH
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