While reports say MDC leader Tendai Biti has been arrested, recent reports claim that the former minister has been released and is bound for Zambia.
The Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) is yet to clear the air regarding its leader Tendai Biti. It was reported on Wednesday, 8 August 2018 that the former finance minister had been arrested while trying to flee to Zambia, to seek political asylum. However, reports said he had already crossed the border when he was arrested.
The police were accusing him of inciting violence during last week’s election, which saw Emmerson Mnangagwa claim victory over the MDC’s Nelson Chamisa
Hundreds of MDC supporters flocked the streets of Harare to protest the results after the first batch showed that ZANU-PF was in the lead, accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of colluding with the governing party to rig the votes.
Biti is the first opposition leader to be nabbed in the wake of the post-election violence, which claimed six lives. He is also accused of declaring Chamisa the President, just a day after the poll.
However, various social media users and publications are alleging that the former cabinet minister has been released and is headed for Zambia.
Earlier, police vehicles surrounded Biti’s mother’s home. Bulawayo24 reported that the police called Biti and MDC Youth leader Happymore Chidziva to hand themselves over and assist in investigations into the post-election violence. However, in an earlier press conference, his lawyers had gone to the police where they were told that Biti had not been summoned to the police station.
Thabo Baloyi
t.baloyi@politicalanalysis.co.za
