The Zimbabwean government is keeping up pressure on members of parliament of the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai, which secured the position of house speaker when parliament reconvened last month, MDC sources said.
MDC officials said the wife of Epworthmember Eliah Jembere was detained by police and interrogatedfor seven hours on Monday.
They said Judith Jembere was picked upearly in the morning and released only after attorney Alec Muchadehama, a lawyer for the party, intervened.
Two other members - Pearson Mungofa of Harare's Highfield East constituency and Bednoc Nyaundeof Bindura South, Mashonaland Central province, also remained in police custody after the state opposed theirbeing granted bail last week. Mungofa is charged with causing publicviolence, Nyaunde with causing disaffection among the military.
Parliamentarian Mathew Mlambo of Chipinge South, Manicaland province, charged with public violence, was granted bail twoweeks ago. The fifth MDC lawmaker, Trevor Sarukuwa of Mutasa Central, Manicaland, was released on bailMonday.
In other politicaldevelopments, the MDC formation led by Arthur Mutambara has joined forces with independent parliamentarian Jonathan Moyo to petition the high court toset aside the election of Tsvangirai MDC Chairman Lovemore Moyo as house speaker, saying the August 25 ballot was not carried out in secret as required by the law.
Sources said the petition to the high court was made in Moyo's name, but that the Mutambara formation had collaborated closely in its preparation.
But eight of the Mutambara formation?s 10 members of parliament are said to be disenchanted with theparty leadership?s close relations with the long-ruling ZANU-PF party. Mutambara in an interview dismissed reports of friction in his formation.
Jonathan Moyo said in an interview that he happened to be booked into the hotel where the formation?s meeting tookplace. But formation sources said he was invited.