Zimbabwe Police Fire at Opposition Leader's Convoy

Zimbabwean police yesterday fired at the convoy of the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, but did not injure anyone, according to the Movement for Democratic Change.

Elsewhere in the country, South African observers monitoring the presidential elections set for March 9-10 were threatened and their vehicle damaged when they witnessed an assault on MDC workers.

Mr Tsvangirai was driving through a rural area of Masvingo province for a campaign rally and stopped at the Sese village, where he met about 20 people. Word spread and more supporters gathered. But 10 police in a Land Rover arrived and declared the gathering illegal and immediately fired tear gas into the crowd, according to the MDC.

Mr Tsvangirai's convoy left and drove towards Masvingo city. When they stopped by the road for a break, the police caught up and fired two shots at Mr Tsvangirai's vehicle, as well as tear gas, the MDC said. No one was injured. Mr Tsvangirai vowed to continue his speaking tour of the country.

A former trade union leader, he poses the most serious challenge to President Robert Mugabe's 22-year rule. Mr Tsvangirai, 49, leads Mr Mugabe, 78, in opinion polls, with the support of nearly 70% of the voters. Mr Mugabe's supporters have responded by inflicting violence throughout the country, with assistance from the police and the army.

It is feared that Mr Mugabe will carry out widespread vote rigging, using new legislation which gives the government sweeping control of the entire voting and counting process.

In the second outbreak of political violence yesterday, two members of the South African observer mission, Eliza Maahlo and Dr Bethel Sithai, saw four MDC supporters being attacked by 200 youth militia of Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party, according to the MDC's spokesman, Learnmore Jongwe. The South Africans were interviewing the MDC supporters about the presidential campaign at the opposition party's offices in the central city of Kwekwe, about 120 miles west of Harare.

The offices were then besieged by Mugabe supporters armed with stones and iron bars, who attacked all those in the building. Those hurt were rushed to the Kwekwe hospital, but details of the injuries were not immediately available. A vehicle belonging to the South African observers was also damaged.

The incident may force the South African observer team to take a harder line towards the Mugabe government. Previously the South Africans had stated that they thought a free and fair election was possible in Zimbabwe, and they suggested that the violence came equally from both sides. But already the South Africans have publicly complained that international journalists have not been given free access to the country.

The Foreign Office admitted yesterday that it did not expect to persuade the Commonwealth to suspend Zimbabwe at a summit next month. But officials said they hoped the 54-state organisation would put Mr Mugabe on notice that it would act if Zimbabwe's elections were rigged.