Johannesburg — A planned week of opposition demonstrations in Zimbabwe was disrupted by police, Monday, after the arrest of the countrys main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, and other officials of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC.
Tsvangirai was charged with contempt of court for refusing to comply with a judicial order to cancel the demonstrations. He was later released, but told Reuters, "I dont think there will be any marches, because they (the government) will not allow it."
Police fired teargas to quell protests in the capital Harare, in an apparently successful operation to stop opposition supporters from taking part in the planned protests called to challenge the authority of President Robert Mugabe, 79, and force him from power.
About 6,000 students at the University of Zimbabwe were prevented by police from marching from their campus into the city centre.
There was almost total shutdown in Harares central business district as reports filtered through of violence by police who beat up and arrested photographers and others.
Riot police and the army were out in force, patrolling the streets of the capital.
Journalists reported witnessing security forces ordering about 50 people - including women - to lie down on the street. They were then beaten with rubber batons and home-made whips. The Associated Press reported some people crying out: "What have we done?"
An MDC news release, Monday, reported that members of the army and police had opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in the Highfields district of Harare. "There are as yet unconfirmed reports that two people have been killed. An MDC youth has a bullet wound in his leg and is currently in the Avenues Clinic in Harare."
The statement added that "In the centre of Harare, where many protesters are gathering, MDC MP Edwin Mushoriwa was brutally attacked by the police and is currently being treated in hospital for the injuries he sustained." The MDC later reported that Tendai Biti, MDC shadow Home Affairs minister, had been arrested by police.
In the second largest city, Bulawayo, witnesses reported police sealing off the main square to stop opposition demonstrators from marching. In other parts of the country, opposition protestors and officials were reported to have been picked up for attempting to march.
The Zimbabwean authorities have accused the opposition of stirring anti-government sentiment in a bid to ignite a coup detat. But David Coultard, shadow MDC Justice minister, rejected the governments claims, Monday, saying their action was popular, legal and legitimate.
Coultard told the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that an appeal against a weekend High Court order banning the demonstrations had been lodged at the Supreme Court, Monday, challenging the earlier judgement. Under these circumstances, said Coultard, Tsvangirais arrest was illegal.
The MDC leader appeared in court in Harare, Monday, where he is already standing trial for treason. Tsvangirai is accused of plotting the assassination of Mugabe, a charge he and two other accused MDC officials deny.
The treason trial was adjourned early Monday at the request of the state, which asked for time to work on new bail terms for Tsvangirai, after the latest contempt of court charge was laid against him.
Zimbabwe state radio described the opposition protests as a "flop", adding that the police and army patrols had contained the situation and maintained peace nationwide, with no mention of fighting between the security forces and protestors.
The MDC said it was determined to continue its week-long protest campaign, but acknowledged that the police crackdown on Monday had quelled potential demonstrations.
Speaking from neighbouring South Africa, MDC opposition spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi, said: "If anything, the arrest of our leaders is going to incense our supporters, is going to stiffen the resolve of our supporters. For every leader that is arrested, one takes over."
Mugabe and the MDC have been on a collision course since the disputed presidential poll in March last year, when Mugabe was re-elected, despite MDC claims of rampant rigging. Since then, the authorities in Harare have imposed stringent new security and media legislation, cracking down on the opposition as well as local and international journalists.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Zimbabwe is the facing severe food and fuel shortages and the economy has collapsed. Mugabes largely unsuccessful and contested land reform policies have prompted criticism in and outside the country.
Britain, the former colonial power, has been among several governments critical of Mugabe's government. But Mugabe has accused London of neo-colonialism and favouring Zimbabwes white minority. For the past three years, white farmers and black farm workers have been attacked and their land occupied by groups using violence and calling themselves 'war veterans of the liberation struggle to end white minority rule in the former Rhodesia.
In repeated and colourful verbal attacks of a very personal nature on the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Mugabe has denounced the internal opposition in Zimbabwe of being in cahoots with London to try to bring down his government.
A hint last month that the Zimbabwean leader might be prepared to consider early retirement caused feverish media speculation but was played down by the Harare government.
