Police fire tear gas at MDC supporters

HARARE, Monday

Zimbabwean police have fired teargas to disperse supporters of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai protesting outside a court in Harare.

About 200 supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) gathered outside the High Court where 29 activists of the former opposition party appeared for a bail hearing.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said the MDC acting youth chairperson Mr Costa Machingauta had been arrested during the scuffle outside court.

The activists including the chairman of the MDC youth wing Mr Solomon Madzore was arrested last year on charges of murdering a police officer. They have been denied bail on several occasions.

Police were not immediately available for comment on the matter. 

MDC claims the arrest was politically motivated citing the case of seven policemen who were granted $50 bail a month after they were arrested for allegedly killing a mine worker early this year.

Tensions have been rising in Zimbabwe in recent days following the murder of an MDC official by supporters of President Mugabe’s Zanu PF party. Mr Tsvangirai accused police of being partisan and failing to stop the murder.

He said Zimbabwe needed peace ahead of elections that President Mugabe wants held this year. “It is not good for people to kill each other no matter their political differences,” he said.

“As political leaders, we are preaching the gospel of peace and unity in Zimbabwe for political violence is a national curse.