Zimbabwe: Govt Seizes Tsvangirai's Passport

14 August 2008
allAfrica.com

Cape Town — Zimbabwean officials have blocked Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other top party officials from leaving the country to attend this weekend's summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the MDC said that government intelligence agents had seized the passports of Tsvangirai, MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti and the party's secretary for international relations, Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro. The three leaders were detained briefly at Harare International Airport before their passports were taken and they were prevented from boarding their aircraft.

The MDC said the government's action showed "that the regime is not sincere on the dialogue process."

Powersharing talks between the MDC, the ruling Zanu-PF and the MDC splinter group led by Arthur Mutambara stalled earlier this week, reportedly over Tsvangirai's insistence on a written guarantee.

The issue of who will represent Zimbabwe at the SADC summit, which is being held in Johannesburg, is contentious. Already Botswana has said that President Ian Khama will boycott the meeting if President Robert Mugabe is invited as Zimbabwe's head of state.

Update: News agencies reported that the MDC leaders' passports were returned later on Thursday.

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