MDC plunges further into crisis

Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) plunged further into crisis this weekend. Violence erupted at the party rally today and Timothy Mabhawu, an MDC MP, received a stern warning from Morgan Tsvangirai, the undisputed leader of the party.

An MDC MP for Mabvuku was assaulted at the rally by angry youth who accused his of supporting the senate. Other MDC MPs had to step in.

The senate debate, which has generated confusion within the MDC, is likely to render the six-year-old party, hope to millions of Zimbabweans against Zanu(PF) rule, irrelevant. Emotions are still running high, t-shirts, bearing images of pro-senate MDC leaders were torched. Moreover, Tsvangirai is still on his anti-senate crusade.

Tomorrow, Tsvangirai's rivals are going to the high court.

Meanwhile, Jan Egeland, a top UN humanitarian envoy, has arrived in Zimbabwe - in the highest profile visit by an official from the world body since a controversial government demolition of shantytowns mid this year. Egeland arrived late yesterday and is due meet victims of the urban demolition tomorrow, and then hold talks with Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, later.

Mugabe's government last month accepted a UN offer to help victims after initially rejecting it on the grounds the demolitions did not constitute a humanitarian crisis.

Last week New York-based Human Rights Watch accused UN agencies of failing to stand up to Mugabe when his government bulldozed the slums. It said instead of decisive action to help the displaced, UN agencies entered into negotiations with Harare based on what was acceptable to Mugabe's government. - Additional reporting by Reuters