The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has condemned the arrest of Arthur Mutambara, leader of the break-away faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on a charge of writing a derogatory article in the weekly Standard newspaper.

“The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) strongly condemns the arrest of Arthur Mutambara, leader of a faction of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), on a charge of writing a derogatory article about President Robert Mugabe, and the police ban on two MDC rallies in Hwange and Victoria Falls that were to have been addressed by its leader Morgan Tsvangirai,” the trade union body said yesterday.

COSATU adds that the arrest is tantamount to denying Zimbabwe’s opposition a free and fair election run-off this month.

The arrest of Mutambara and other incidents, says the statement from COSATU, “Confirm that conditions for a free and fair presidential run-off election do not exist”.

The mere fact that 'writing a derogatory article' about your electoral opponent is defined as a chargeable offence, together with the charging of the editor of The Standard, in which the article appeared, with 'publishing falsehoods', prove how far from free and fair the environment is.

The powerful conglomeration body of worker representative bodies says, “It is becoming more and more obvious that the Mugabe regime which was defeated in the 29 March elections is determined to steal back the election and deny the people of Zimbabwe their democratic right to elect a government of their own choice”.

COSATU notes that a letter written to South African President Thabo Mbeki by Morgan Tsvangirai recently and which letter “accuses President Mbeki of "complicity" and secretly conniving to perpetuate Robert Mugabe's rule” should spring the whole worlds to action on what is going on in Zimbabwe.

It (the letter) charges Mbeki of “lacking neutrality, dividing the MDC, blocking United Nations discussions on Zimbabwe and helping Mugabe's government acquire weapons”.

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