Attack on Mugabe critic condemned

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A Zimbabwe pro-democracy coalition has condemned what it says was an assassination attempt on its chairman.

Lovemore Madhuku's home was attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning when it was doused with gasoline and set alight with his family sleeping inside.

The smoke awoke the family who managed to escape and to put out the flames before they got out of hand.

The National Constitutional Assembly alleges this is the third attempt on Mr Madhuku's life in four years.

Madock Chivasa, the spokesman for the NCA which lobbies for political reform, said the attack came as the organisation was mobilising supporters to resist the extension of President Robert Mugabe's term in office by two years.

"The attack on Dr Madhuku should be seen as an attempt to break the resilience of Zimbabweans in their struggle to build a democratic, free and just society based on a people driven democratic constitution," he said in a statement.

In December, Mr Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, warned that he would thwart protests against his proposal to postpone presidential elections until 2010.

An alliance of opposition parties, Church and civic groups agreed to unite under the "Save Zimbabwe Campaign" banner to push for elections in 2008.

Mr Chivasa blamed the New Year's Eve attack on suspected state security agents.

Mr Madhuku said the incident would not affect the NCA's activities.

"We will carry on with our activism," he told Associated Press news agency.

Zimbabwe has been gripped by an economic crisis for more than six years and has the world's lowest life expectancy, highest inflation rate.