Crisis Coalition Director Arrested

The director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, McDonald Lewanika, was arrested on Saturday. He was released about seven hours later, on condition that he surrendered his car and t-shirts.

Lewanika’s arrest is part of a heightened attack by the police on civic groups and political activists opposed to ZANU PF. Last week Abel Chikomo, Director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum was harassed, and on Sunday there was another attack on the MDC. The party reports that 30 police officers besieged its headquarters at Harvest House in Harare at night, and arrested three staff members.

Sunday’s arrests follow a dramatic week for the party; on Thursday MDC-T MP and Energy Minister Elton Mangoma was arrested and MDC-T’s Lovemore Moyo was deposed as Speaker of Parliament.