Assassins target Zimbabwe opposition leader - claim

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party claimed today their leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was the target of a state-sponsored assassination attempt while campaigning north of Harare.

Learnmore Jongwe, the Movement for Democratic Change’s information secretary, said the attempt to kill the veteran trade unionist was made by a ‘‘well organised and well-paid group of agents who took cover in a broader group of hired village vigilantes.’’

On Sunday, a group of 500 youths supporting President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party blocked a road 50 miles northeast of Harare where a by-election is due later this week.

Then ‘‘hired agents viciously attacked president Tsvangirai’s convoy of 13 vehicles,’’ firing several shots, Jongwe said.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena disputed that account, saying police recovered five casings from bullets fired from an opposition vehicle. The opposition supporters also taunted ruling party youths with slogans, he said.

The clashes were the latest in 18 months of unrest that have killed at least 36 people, most of them opposition supporters.

Jongwe accused Mugabe of trying to ‘‘physically eliminate’’ Tsvangirai ahead of presidential polls due early next year.

Tsvangirai currently faces charges of inciting violence. If convicted, he might be barred from running and could be sentenced to life in prison.