ZIMBABWE:Leaders of the southern African regional bloc SADC will hold an extraordinary session in Tanzania this week, Tanzania's foreign ministry said yesterday amid the mounting political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe.
A Tanzanian foreign ministry official would not be drawn on the agenda for the meeting tomorrow and on Thursday. Tanzania is one of three SADC states charged with dealing with the situation in Zimbabwe.
"They could discuss Zimbabwe, but what they will be discussing is the general political situation, and they will be looking at where there are problems," the official, who asked not to be named, said.
Tanzania said the extraordinary summit was expected to be attended by 14 heads of state, including those from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Tensions are high in Zimbabwe over inflation, the highest in the world at over 1,700 per cent, shortages of foreign currency, fuel and food and surging unemployment, which critics blame on President Robert Mugabe. Mr Mugabe blames western nations led by former colonial ruler Britain, which he says want to overthrow him because of his seizure of white-owned farms for landless blacks.
Zimbabwe's police banned protests in Harare last month and riot police clashed with activists as they tried to attend a prayer meeting. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he and colleagues were beaten in police custody following their arrests over a foiled meeting called to protest against the crisis. - ( Reuters )