August 14, 2008

Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai detained at airport ahead of summit

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was detained at Harare airport Thursday and his passport was seized -- preventing his attendance at a regional summit, his party said.

Tsvangirai was held briefly along with his party's number two Tendai Biti, as well as the opposition's international relations secretary Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said.

"The three were part of the MDC delegation that was going to South Africa for the SADC summit to be held this weekend," the party said, referring to the 14-nation Southern African Development Community.

An MDC official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the three had returned home.

"They had been invited by the South African government to attend the SADC summit... but when they got to the airport, their passports were taken and they've now gone back home," the official said.