Zimbabwe’s Opposition Alleges Members Targeted in Assassination Plot

Zimbabwe’s leading opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has accused government of plotting to assassinate its top officials in a move meant to reverse the opposition’s victory in last March’s elections, APA learned on Sunday.

The MDC alleged that President Robert Mugabe’s government had assembled a group of 18 snipers based in the capital, Harare, in a bid to assassinate MDC officials.

“Their main targets in the operation are all MDC officials, including Members of Parliament and key members of the MDC secretariat based at Harvest House in central Harare,” an official of the opposition party said.

The official said the snipers had been briefed to kill or maim those officials who are involved in the day-to-day operations of the party.

But police dismissed the MDC assassination charges as baseless and a desperate attempt by the opposition to seek attention.

It is alleged the main objective of the mission would be to eliminate some MDC legislators and force by-elections in affected constituencies which Mugabe’s ZANU PF hopes to win and wrestle control of parliament from the opposition.

“It must be noted that this is not the first time the MDC has made such claims and have failed to prove the existence of such a plot,” said a police spokesman.

The MDC has accused Mugabe’s government of launching a campaign of intimidation ahead of the possible second round and said 20 of its members had been killed by pro-government militias.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher