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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ZIMBABWE: Tsvangirai to remain in custody until bail hearing

JOHANNESBURG, 10 June 2003 (IRIN) - Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change, (MDC) will remain in custody while he waits to apply for bail in the latest round of treason charges leveled at him.

Tsvangirai was arrested twice last week - on Monday for alleged contempt of court for refusing to call off a week of anti-government protests, and again on Friday on a second charge of treason stemming from his role in the protests.

His lawyer Innocent Chagonda told IRIN that Tsvangirai appeared in the Harare Magistrate's Court on Tuesday for an initial remand until 10 July, but as the court did not have jurisdiction in treason cases, he had to wait until Wednesday to apply for bail.

The party's secretary-general, Welshman Ncube, arrested on Monday, was released without charge on Tuesday.

Since the start of last week's MDC-led protests and stayaways, the police have either arrested or briefly detained several top MDC leaders across the country.

Chris Maroleng, a researcher at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies told IRIN: "It is not clear how the MDC will survive the court battles. The decapitation of the head of the MDC is an attempt at making them dysfunctional."

He said that although the party's leadership was drawn from "a broad church" and power could be transferred to junior members, the continued arrests would have a psychological effect.

"It will test the capacity of the party's leadership and unity. Will there be leadership challenges because of the power vacuum, or will it unify the party in its goal to see [President Robert] Mugabe removed?" Maroleng said.

He added that the arrests could also create a rallying point for the MDC, and could be an indication of ZANU-PF's future strategy and further crackdowns.

The arrests also put a question mark over unconfirmed reports - denied by both sides - that talks between the MDC and ZANU-PF could start again.

"Who talks in such circumstances?" asked Maroleng. "There is a need for a semblance of stability to return, to allow the two parties to come together."

The mayor of Bulawayo, Japhet Ndabeni Ncube, the MP for Masvingo Central, Silas Mangono, a member of the MDC national executive, Jobert Mudzumwe, the chairman for MDC Bulawayo Province, Abraham Mdlonga, and Milton Gwetu, MP for Mpopoma, were among those also detained last week.

Tsvangirai, Ncube and MDC MP Renson Gasela are in the middle of a treason trial relating to their alleged plans to "eliminate" Mugabe ahead of last year's presidential elections.

In a further crackdown on the opposition, news reports said that businesses who closed during last week's protests were being investigated and faced losing their licences for supporting the MDC.

Themes: (IRIN) Governance

[ENDS]

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