ELECTION IN HARARE'S BUDIRIRO DISTRICT, WHICH IS BEING CLOSELY WATCHED AMID SIGNS OF INCREASING STRESS IN ZIMBABWE'S FRAGILE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. ON FRIDAY POLICE ARRESTED SEVERAL SENIOR POLITICIANS FROM ONE MDC FACTION, INCLUDING ITS CANDIDATE FOR THE BUDIRIRO SEAT, ACCUSING THEM OF CAMPAIGNING WITHOUT OFFICIAL PERMISSION. THEY WERE LATER RELEASED BUT ARE EXPECTED IN COURT ON MONDAY ON CHARGES OF VIOLATING SECURITY LAWS. BUDIRIRO WAS REPRESENTED BY AN MDC LEGISLATOR WHO DIED IN OFFICE THIS YEAR. THE PARTY HAS SINCE SPLIT INTO TWO FACTIONS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE FIELDING CANDIDATES IN THE ELECTION, DIVIDING THE MDC VOTE. ZANU-PF HAS VOWED TO CAPTURE THE SEAT TO SHOW ITS POLITICAL STRENGTH, DESPITE MOUNTING ECONOMIC PROBLEMS INCLUDING RAMPANT INFLATION, SKY-HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND FREQUENT SHORTAGES OF FOOD, FUEL AND OTHER KEY COMMODITIES. ELECTION RESULTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS BUT WILL DO LITTLE TO ALTER THE BALANCE OF POWER IN PARLIAMENT, WHERE ZANU-PF HOLDS A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY. MUGABE, 82, BLAMES ZIMBABWE'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ON SABOTAGE BY DOMESTIC AND WESTERN OPPONENTS CRITICAL OF HIS PROGRAMME TO SEIZE WHITE-OWNED FARMS TO GIVE TO LANDLESS BLACKS. RIGHTS GROUPS SAY PUBLIC ANGER OVER THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WAS THE CHIEF REASON FOR THE RECENT CLAMPDOWN ON PROTESTS BY A GOVERNMENT THEY SAY IS ALARMED AT MDC THREATS TO LAUNCH A WAVE OF "PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE" TO MUGABE'S RULE. MUGABE, WHO SAYS THE MDC ARE PUPPETS OF ZIMBABWE'S FORMER COLONIAL MASTER BRITAIN, HAS RESPONDED TO THE OPPOSITION'S THREATS BY WARNING THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO UNSEAT HIM WOULD BE "DICING WITH DEATH". ON SATURDAY THE LOBBY GROUP NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY SAID IT WAS SEEKING A COURT ORDER FOR THE RELEASE OF 103 ACTIVISTS ARRESTED ON THURSDAY DURING ANOTHER MARCH IN HARARE.
