The MDC structures in Manicaland have reported that the harassment, intimidation and torture of their party officials in the province have continued. In Mutare on Thursday, agents from the Law and Order division at Mutare Central Police Station arrested the MDC-T ward 11 chairman, Lovemore Kapungu.

According to the MDC-T provincial spokesperson, Pishai Muchauraya, the charge is that Kapungu uttered statements that 'undermined' the ZANU-PF non-elected councillor for Mutare, Esawu Mupfumi, during a meeting.

Kapungu is being held at Mutare Central Police station where visitors who had brought him food on Thursday afternoon were denied access. Muchauraya said it was surprising that the police would arrest an elected official over what he described as "such a petty issue".

It is not clear when the MDC ward chairman will be released, as the police have made no statements regarding his case.

More reports of harassment and violence came from Chimanimani, where the MDC-T chairlady for ward 15 was kidnapped in broad daylight by known CIO agents and ZANU-PF militia. Muchauraya told SW Radio Africa that she was detained and interrogated at the home of Janet Knight, who heads the ZANU-PF women's league in the province.

Mai Knight, as she is more commonly known, has been involved in many incidents of kidnapping and harassment of MDC supporters and officials in the Chimanimani area, for years now. According to the MDC-T spokesperson, her home was used as a torture base during the mass assaults that followed Mugabe's defeat in the March 2008 elections.

The MDC chairlady, whose name was withheld, was detained at Mai Knight's house for more than 8 hours. She reported that she was interrogated about her support for the MDC-T and her views on a new constitution.

There is much concern that a repeat of the violence unleashed on the MDC at that time, appears to have started again.