Zimbabwe police 'raid MDC office'

Harare, 24 Oct-(ANA)-Police in Zimbabwe have raided a house belonging to PM Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party, saying they were searching for weapons, a top party official says.

Tendai Biti, the MDC's secretary-general, said that more than 50 officers "ransacked every room" of the house on Friday night.

Mr Biti said they took "valuable party material" from a room occupied by the organising secretary, Morgan Komichi.

Last week, Mr Tsvangirai suspended MDC participation in the unity government.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) accuses President Robert Mugabe of oppressing political opponents and failing to implement last year's unity deal.

But President Mugabe has described the split as a "non-event", and said his party will not bow to pressure.

Last week, Mr Tsvangirai went on a regional tour to appeal to southern African countries to mediate for him.

But he told reporters in Angola on Friday that his dispute with Mr Mugabe was a temporary setback that would not lead to the collapse of the pact. (ANA)

FA/ANA/24 October 2009-----