Mutambara, Kwinjeh, Holland stopped from leaving Zimbabwe.
By Violet Gonda
16 March 2007

Professor Arthur Mutambara the leader of one of the MDC factions was detained at Harare International Airport Saturday. Maxwell Zimuto an Information Officer with the Mutambara led MDC said the opposition leader was about to fly to South Africa when he was stopped. It’s been alleged that he has been taken to Harare Central Police Station. Police refused to comment.

Meanwhile senior officials from the Tsvangirai led MDC, Grace Kwinjeh and Sekai Holland, who were brutalised in police detention and suffered serious injuries, were also detained on Saturday. It is reported the two were stopped at the airport as attempts were being made to send them to South Africa for medical treatment. They had been taken to the airport by ambulance from the Avenues Clinic where they were still receiving treatment. They have been taken back to the clinic and are reportedly under police guard.

Mutambara was one of the leaders of the opposition and civic groups, who held a press conference as a united group in Harare on Friday. The pro-democracy groups said they would continue with their defiance campaign to force the Mugabe regime to accept the need for democratic reforms in Zimbabwe, a new constitution and free and fair elections. This is the first time since the split in 2005 that the two MDC factions have come together and agreed to forge a united framework.