By Nelson Banya
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean police detained U.S. andBritish diplomats for several hours on Thursday, slashing thetyres of their cars after they visited victims of politicalviolence ahead of a presidential vote, the U.S. embassy said.
The U.S. ambassador blamed the attack on President RobertMugabe's government, which it accuses of trying to intimidateopposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's supporters ahead of theJune 27 run-off election.
"Now what they are trying to do is intimidate diplomatsfrom travelling to the countryside to witness the violencebeing perpetrated against the population," U.S. AmbassadorJames McGee said in an interview on CNN.
The embassy said the diplomats were released after severalhours.
Former colonial power Britain, human rights groups andZimbabwe's opposition also accuse Mugabe of a campaign ofviolence to try to keep his 28-year hold on a power. Tsvangiraisays 65 people have been killed.
Mugabe blames his opponents for the violence and sanctionsimposed by Western countries for the collapse of the onceprosperous economy. The opposition says he ruined Zimbabwe.
The attack on the diplomatic convoy took place in Bindura,80 km (50 miles) north of Harare, the U.S. embassy said.
McGee said police stopped the vehicles at a roadblock andslashed the tyres. He said supporters of Mugabe threatened toset the vehicles ablaze unless the diplomats accompanied policeto a nearby station.
"We do believe this is coming directly from the top," hesaid.
A British government spokesman said Zimbabwe's ambassadorin London had been summoned to give an explanation.
Zimbabwe police were not available for comment.
Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 presidential electionbut failed to win enough votes to avoid a second round. He wasdetained for nine hours on Wednesday but continued his campaignon Thursday.
OBSERVERS
South Africa said it planned to begin sending electionobservers to Zimbabwe this week as part of a larger missionsent by the Southern African Development Community, adding thatit was essential that the election be fair and transparent.
Simba Makoni, the ruling party defector who came third inthe first round called on Thursday for the run-off to bescrapped to prevent further bloodshed.
Makoni won over 8 percent and those who voted for him couldbe crucial in deciding the contest.
Makoni, who favours a national unity government, toldreporters that Zimbabwe could not afford another election andit would not end the political crisis and economic collapse.
In an unusually harsh attack by an African leader, KenyanPrime Minister Raila Odinga branded Mugabe a dictator and saidin Cape Town that Zimbabwe's run-off campaign was anembarrassment to the continent's efforts to promote democracy.
It is rare for African leaders to publicly attack Mugabe,who is still seen as a hero by millions on the continent forfighting to end British rule in Zimbabwe in 1980 and forsupporting other anti-colonial struggles.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has been among thosecriticised for taking too soft a line on Mugabe's government,which has presided over an economic meltdown marked byinflation over 165,000 percent and chronic food shortages.
In an indicator of Zimbabwe's rapid economic decline, itsdollar currency plunged to a new low of between 995 million and1.45 billion to the greenback on Thursday from an average 700million at the beginning of the week.
(Additional reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe in Harare,Wendell Roelf in Cape Town and Paul Simao in Johannesburg;Writing by Marius Bosch; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)
