Police fire shots at Mugabe's rival in presidential election

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The music of dissent strikes a chord in Zimbabwe

Police in Zimbabwe fired at opposition officials yesterday, including Morgan Tsvangirai, the presidential candidate, an opposition spokesman said.

The incident occurred when the authorities declared illegal an opposition meeting near Masvingo, a ruling party stronghold 250km (150 miles) south of Harare, the spokesman said. Police then began firing tear gas.

Mr Tsvangirai and other leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change drove off and police followed. When opposition leaders left their cars, police fired several bullets and tear gas at them, the spokesman said. The leaders got back in their cars and drove away. Mr Tsvangirai's motorcade has been attacked at least twice in recent months, and he uses an armour-protected vehicle.

Also yesterday, ruling-party militants beat two South African election observers at the opposition's offices in Kwekwe, 200km (120 miles) southwest of Harare and set their car on fire, the spokesman said. The observers had been visiting the offices when about 200 militants arrived.

The attacks came as a group of regional lawmakers demanded a reduction in violence ahead of the presidential elections on 9-10 March. Duke Lefhoko, head of the parliamentary forum of the 14-state Southern African Development Community, said: "It is vital that the political situation changes in a manner that will remove fear to enable the people to freely exercise their electoral right.

"The forum calls on the security forces to act impartially and professionally and provide reasonable safeguards at political meetings, rallies, polling stations and party premises."

The government renewed claims yesterday that Mr Tsvangirai had plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe. The state-run Herald newspaper said Mr Tsvangirai had claimed he would receive the support of the United States and other nations to head a transitional government following Mr Mugabe's killing.

It said the claims were contained in new material from a Canadian political consultancy that Mr Tsvangirai allegedly hired to arrange a hit. Mr Tsvangirai has denied the allegations and insists remarks recorded by the firm, Dickens and Madson, at meetings were taken out of context. The firm has worked for the government for several years.