Tsvangirai in court for inciting violence

Morgan Tsvangirai, the president of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was on Thursday formally charged in a Harare magistrates court for his alleged call for President Mugabe's forceful removal from office, the independent 'Daily News' said on Friday. The report said that he was asked to pay 10,000 Zimbabwean dollars (US $181) bail and to appear in the High Court on 30 April for trial. The charge arose from a public statement allegedly made by Tsvangirai at a political rally in Rufaro Stadium, Harare, on 30 September last year. He told the meeting Mugabe should either resign peacefully or risk being removed through a violent mass uprising. The state alleged that Tsvangirai violated the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act by inciting public violence. If convicted, he faces a possible prison term of more than 20 years. Tsvangirai has become the fourth senior MDC official to be prosecuted under this Act. His deputy, Gibson Sibanda, and the national youth chairman, Nelson Chamisa, have already been charged.