The vice-president of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), arrested in connection with an anti-government strike, appeared in court Tuesday, but was denied bail, a party official said.
Gibson Sibanda, who was detained on Monday after the opposition won two weekend by-elections, will reappear in court on Wednesday to pursue his bail application.
”The state opposed bail … and the magistrate will decide tomorrow,” David Coltart, laywer and MDC legislator said.
Police said they arrested Sibanda for attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government following his party-led two-day mass stayaway from work last month.
The MDC organised a national strike on March 18 and 19 to press President Robert Mugabe to take urgent steps to resolve the country’s grave economic and political crises.
The opposition party has meantime claimed that several of its members were attacked late Monday and early Tuesday in post-election retribution allegedly by ruling party militias.
The MDC retained the seats in two constituencies in the capital Harare after the by-elections. Mugabe has a parliamentary majority behind him, but short of the two-thirds he would need for constitutional changes.
”The MDC deplores in strongest terms the barbaric, disgusting behaviour by a party that thrives on violence,” MDC party representative Paul Temba Nyathi in a statement.
Police could not be immediately reached for comment on the violence allegations.
A local elections monitoring agency, the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) ”deplored the violence that erupted in Highfield (constituency) after the announcement of the elections results”.
The campaign ahead of the elections was marred by violence and intimidation.
A losing ruling Zanu-PF candidate, war veteran leader Joseph Chinotimba, said he would not accept the results of the polls, alleging some of his supporters were intimidated by opposition members. – Sapa-AFP