President Mugabe dealt a double blow to Morgan Tsvangirai, his partner in the Zimbabwe coalition Government, arresting Elton Mangoma, a Cabinet minister, and having Lovemore Moyo, his Speaker, removed from office.
Energy minister Mr Mangoma was arrested at his government office on charges not yet made known and Mr Moyo, the chairman of Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, was dismissed after the Supreme Court, packed with Mr Mugabe’s allies, said his election to the post had been irregular.
“The country is in crisis,” Mr Tsvangirai said. Mr Mugabe was “trying to regain what he lost in an election”. The actions followed a wave of violence and arrests around the country.