No Hope For Change in Zimbabwe

Perhaps Barack 'Icarus' Obama can have some dialogue with his fellow traveler and ask him why he's arresting political opponents. After all, it's the candidate of change who's been arrested.

And isn't it all about change?

ZIMBABWE'S opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been detained by police at a roadblock while campaigning in a run-off presidential vote, according to his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

"We are currently held up. They are saying there's a commanding officer whom we should wait for," Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, said.

"They are not saying why they are holding us up. It's not an arrest but illegal detention. It appears they want to disrupt our campaign program."

Mr Tsvangirai was detained at 1000 GMT (2000 AEST). Police searched all vehicles and inspected documents.

The MDC says 50 people have been killed by President Robert Mugabe's supporters since the first round vote. Today, it said soldiers and ZANU-PF activists had beaten and threatened to shoot Zimbabweans who wanted to meet and support Mr Tsvangirai.

More from Ed Morrissey.