By DPA,
Harare/Johannesburg : Zimbabwean police said Wednesday they have arrested dozens of opposition supporters over a nationwide stay-at-home protest called to press for the release of election results.
A police spokesman was quoted by the BBC as saying 33 people had been arrested in Harare and four other cities since Tuesday’s stayaway.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which called the protest to put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to release the results of March 29 election, claimed 50 of its supporters had been arrested.
Police said the people arrested were suspected of stoning buses and cars and trying to prevent people going to work.
Many people in Harare ignored the strike call, claiming they did not know about it or that they were afraid of reprisal if they followed MDC orders.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai claims to have soundly defeated Mugabe in the election.
Mugabe’s party claims neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai won outright and that a runoff will be needed, while at the same time demanding a recount.