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Zimbabwe opposition claims harassment


Published: March 7, 2008 at 5:12 PM
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BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, March 7 (UPI) -- The two factions of Zimbabwe's main opposition party claim the country's police have been harassing their candidates for the March 29 elections.

Both factions of the split Movement for Democratic Change party said police have arrested, abducted or beaten their candidates while the ruling ZANU-PF party allegedly masterminded acts of violence against opposition supporters, Nehanda Radio reported Friday.

"The police are acting in a partisan manner, banning our candidates and their supporters from conducting door-to-door campaigns, especially in the city," said Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

Marvelous Khumalo, an MDC candidate for the parliament, was arrested Feb. 29 along with 11 supporters during a campaign stop in the township of Chitungiza. The candidate remained in custody Friday.

Police Commissioner Gen. Augustine Chihuri denied the arrests were partisan. He said Khumalo and his supporters were arrested for violent behavior.

"Those people were arrested for a crime they know -- they were carrying weapons and campaigning aggressively. The police are simply doing their job of maintaining law and order," he said.

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