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3.26 2011 VOA NEWS Police Arrest Zimbabwe Energy Minister Again, Restrict Political Activity Peta Thornycroft | Johannesburg?| March 25, 2011 ZANU-PF aligned Zimbabwe police officers have arrested the countrys energy minister, and all but banned political activities such as rallies by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), while allowing those organized by President Robert Mugabes ZANU-PF party. The energy minister, who is a prominent member of the MDC, has been arrested twice this month on corruption charges that his lawyers reject. Police in Zimbabwe have again arrested the countrys energy minister Elton Mangoma, this time as he traveled to work in Harare. He was released on bail last week on charges relating to a fuel deal he concluded when Zimbabwes supplies ran short. He said after his release he had informed Mugabe about the deal. He was eventually released on bail. Now he has been arrested again, allegedly in connection with a deal to buy electrical equipment for the country. His lawyer Selby Hwacha confirmed the arrest Friday and said Mangoma was in police cells in central Harare and he denys the charges against his client. Several human rights organizations say that the Zimbabwe Republic Police selectively arrest suspects, mainly supporters of Tsvangirais MDC, and do insufficient investigations before arresting suspects. Eric Matinenga, a lawyer and MDC minister for parliamentary and constitutional affairs said there is a record of what he called malicious arrests in Zimbabwe. This archaic business of you smell a rat, you arrest. You throw [that idea] away. You dont arrest and investigate. Where it is possible to bring that person to court at a convenient date that should be done. We know how people are so fond of wanting to parade these so called important people in town in police jeeps and trucks, said Matinenga. The home affairs ministry is controlled jointly by the MDC and ZANU-PF. MDC co-home affairs minister Theresa Makone says the police do not o