Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been expelled
from neighbouring Zambia for allegedly violating immigration laws.
Tsvangirai's leadership of the MDC is under scrutiny
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He and his 10-member delegation were escorted to the border town of Victoria Falls early in the morning.
Zambian authorities deny that they were being deported, merely asked to leave.
The BBC's Musonda Chibamba in Lusaka says Mr
Tsvangirai's visit there a year ago was a highly publicised event and
included a visit to the president.
But our correspondent says little is known of this
second visit or why the usually vocal leader of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) left Zambia so quickly and so quietly.
Challenged
According to the Zambian immigration department, Mr
Tsvangirai and his team were asked to leave because some members of the
group were alleged to have presented false identities to officials.
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He followed all the relevant immigration laws to the letter
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A spokeswoman for the department said the group entered Zambia three days ago as ordinary visitors.
She said their expulsion had not been politically
motivated - they had been treated like anyone else who presented false
information.
But MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa challenged this explanation.
"He followed all the relevant immigration laws to the letter," Mr Chamisa told a German radio station.
The MDC has split over whether Mr Tsvangirai should continue to lead the party.
His critics accuse him of going against party decisions, especially in his boycott of last year's senate elections.
The MDC is set to hold a congress this month, which should hold leadership elections. |