Morgan Tsvangirai acquitted of treason in Zimbabwe

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 16th Oct 2004

Morgan Tsvangirai, Leader of the Movement for Democratic Change and Zimbabwe's Opposition Leader was yesterday acquitted of treason. The acquittal surprised, but pleased, me. I consider Robert Mugabe's misrule of Zimbabwe to big one of the worst dictatorships in the world and was convinced he would take this opportunity to rid himself of Morgan Tsvangirai.

I visited Zimbabwe in December 1999 before the country slid into the problems it faces today. Even then there was mass unemployment, racial tensions, farm evictions and spiraling inflation. Zimbabwe is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful, but under Robert Mugabe's dictatorship things will continue to get worse for the foreseeable future.

The Movement for Democratic Change and Morgan Tsvangirai almost certainly won the last Parliamentary and Presidential elections but widespread fraud and intimidation resulted in Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF Party winning. The worry is not over yet as Morgan Tsvangirai faces another treason trail next month.