Zimbabwe opposition denies terror campaign

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party today denied it was stockpiling weapons or waging a terror campaign.

The denial came after state media reported police had seized weapons and explosives at the party’s headquarters during a raid.

The top leader of the Movement for Democratic Change was freed after being held by police for several hours after yesterday’s raid, party officials said.

Police denied arresting Morgan Tsvangirai as he prepared to talk to reporters about a wave of political violence. Another news conference was scheduled for today, though it was unclear whether

Mr Tsvangirai would appear.

Police told state media that they had seized weapons and explosives and arrested 10 activists at the party’s headquarters in Harare. On state television last night, police displayed explosives, detonators and two handguns that they alleged were found at the home of two arrested opposition officials.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said police found 53 sticks of dynamite and 35 detonators in the Harare home of one of the officials, Piniel Denga.

“We are not witch-hunting. We are carrying out investigations and they are very thorough,” he said.

Bvudzijena said the dynamite was similar to that used in an attack on a train on Friday in which five people were injured.

“The MDC does not have any arsenal of weapons or armed movement, the story is not credible,” said Mr Tsvangirai’s aide, Eliphas Mukonoweshuro.

He said the opposition was not waging an armed terror campaign against the government, as police claimed. Police had said they arrested 35 opposition members in recent days, saying they belonged to “democratic resistance committees”.

Alec Mmuchadehama, a lawyer acting for the opposition, said the legal team was investigating the reported arrests but had been denied access to those detained.

The United States said President Robert Mugabe was trying to intimidate legitimate political opponents.

In Washington yesterday, State Department spokesman Tom Casey also urged southern African nations to make clear that Mr Mugabe’s actions in the recent past are unacceptable. He should be called to account, Mr Casey said, for his misrule “not only over the last few weeks but over the last few years.”