HARARE - Zimbabwean police on Wednesday arrested an opposition lawmaker and at least 16 of his constituents who walked to work to protest chronic fuel shortages in the southern African nation, their lawyer told AFP.Gilbert Shoko, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) member of parliament for Budiriro suburb in Harare, and opposition supporters were arrested as they walked to the city centre, said Alec Muchadehama. âThey were arrested around 7:00 am and are still being held at Southerton police station,â southwest of the city centre, Muchadehama said. âAs we speak I am still trying to secure their release,â he added.
MDC spokesman Maxwell Zimuto said âthe MP was walking to work together with other people from his constituency when the police confronted them and asked them why they were walking as a group. âThey told the police they had no other means of transport because of the fuel crisis but the police said there was plenty of fuel and rounded them up saying they were demonstrating against the government.â
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Several lawmakers and party activists joined in the protest walk.
Zimbabwe has faced serious fuel shortages since 1999, but the current crunch, which has seen meandering queues at gas stations, is the worst ever. Some gas stations have been without fuel for weeks, forcing buses and private cars off the road and leaving many with no option but to walk or cycle to their workplaces. Attendants at stations in Harare said they have gone for more than a month without receiving supplies while the once-burgeoning black market and fuel stations selling the scarce commodity in foreign currency have almost dried up.
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