Elias Mudzuri, was one of the most powerful members of the opposition Movement for Democratic change.

He was the first opposition figure to become mayor of the Zimbabwean capital Harare since Robert Mugabe came to power in 1980.

However the ruling party Zanu-PF claims he has been suspended from his job by and placed under investigation for mismanagement.

Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo, from the ruling Zanu-PF party accused him of dismissing city workers and failing to guarantee adequate water supplies.

Detained

Mr Mudzuri refuses to recognise the suspension and has continued to carry out his mayoral business.

"If they say I have to go through a referendum, I will go. But I will not take heed of the dirty tricks which the minister is playing," he said.

The mayor was also arrested and detained for two nights in police cells with several other council officials for addressing a political meeting without permission.

The opposition says it was a meeting called to discuss civic matters like waste collection problems, not politics.

Corruption

He was released after a judge ruled that the gathering had been a civil meeting and not a political one.

This judge, Benjamin Paradaza, has since been arrested and charged with corruption and 'defeating the ends of justice'.

Mr Mudzuri has previously been accused of sacking city workers who supported Zanu-PF and of encouraging workers to take part in two general strikes against President Robert Mugabe.

He in turn has criticised the government, claiming that the state-owned media refuses to interview him or even carry his adverts.