Zambia deports Zimbabwean opposition leader

By Violet Gonda

2 February 2006

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai and eight senior officials were deported from Livingstone, Zambia in the early hours of Thursday morning. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa, who was part of the delegation, said around 1am, 54 law enforcement agents comprising police, military and members of the intelligence services stormed where they were staying and told them to leave the country.

Chamisa said Tsvangirai, who had been in Zambia on business for three days, said the deportation was illogical as they had passed through both the Zimbabwean and Zambian border posts without a problem.

State radio claimed the MDC leadership had violated Zambian immigration laws and had checked into the Livingstone Hotel using false names.

However, the opposition party believes this was an act of political harassment, motivated from Zimbabwe.
He said the Zambian law enforcement agents claimed they were following orders from above.

The other MDC leaders who were deported were party chairman Isaac Matongo, presidential spokesman William Bango, Lucia Matibenga, Pauline Mpariwa, Eddie Cross, Thokozani Khupe and Gertrude Mtombeni.

Chamisa said they were in Zambia on business but would not be drawn to explain the exact nature of the business.

We were not able to get a comment from the Zambian government.