Members of Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party have held a rare protest outside its headquarters.
Scores of women protesters surrounded Political Commissar Elliot Manyika's car and would not let him leave until he agreed to look into their concerns. They accuse the government of manipulating candidate lists for parliamentary election in March.
It follows the suspension of six party officials for five years, preventing them from standing in the election.
The officials, all provincial party chairmen, are accused of campaigning against President Robert Mugabe's choice of candidate for vice-president.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo and a militant war veterans' leader, Joseph Chinotimba, also failed to appear on the party's lists.
President Mugabe said last month he would only appoint elected MPs into his cabinet as ministers. Underlying the row is a debate on who should succeed President Mugabe on his expected retirement in 2008. Observers say the row is one of the worst within Zanu-PF in the past 30 years.
The main opposition party has threatened to boycott the election.
Published: 2005/01/05 14:42:37 GMT
© BBC MMV
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