TSVANGIRAI OF ZIMBABWE ESCORTED TO BORDER!

Mugabe rival expelled from Zambia.

Tsvangirai's leadership of the MDC is under scrutiny. Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been expelled from neighbouring Zambia for allegedly violating immigration laws. 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.

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. 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.

BBC NEWS REPORT.