Opposition accuse president of violent tactics

On 6 November 2008 the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) accused President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF of resuming the violent tactics that characterized the run-up to the June 2008 presidential election run off. The MDC claims that a ruling party militia attacked at least 25 MDC supporters in a Harare township on 27 October. Then on 30 October, security agents allegedly raided the home of a local MDC leader in Banket and arrested nine people, including a 2-year-old child. Human rights groups operating in Zimbabwe have confirmed the renewed intimidation from security forces. Kidnappings, killings and indiscriminate violence were commonplace after the March 2008 presidential election, but subsided after Mugabe and the MDC signed a power sharing agreement in September 2008. At least 180 MDC supporters were killed between March and June 2008 and an additional 9,000 were injured. The parties are currently deadlocked in negotiations over the allocation of key ministries in the new government. A Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit will be held in South Africa on 9 November to attempt to break the impasse.