The minnows of Namibia must endure a World Cup baptism of fire and fear here tomorrow as they take on Zimbabwe against a background of planned anti-government protests. With all the focus on whether World Cup games should be played here being permanently fixed on England’s trials and tribulations, the Namibians are preparing to slip quietly into the country for their first ever tie in the tournament. But they could find themselves in the eye of a storm. On Saturday, just 48 hours before the clash at the Harare Sports Club, a Zimbabwean coalition of opposition groups claimed that 50 of its activists had been arrested during a series of protests - although police said only six people carrying placards were arrested. Planned demonstrations failed to take off in the capital, but National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) spokesman Doulgas Mwonzora said another demonstration was planned for Harare on Monday to coincide with the match. Namibia’s state of mind would not have improved on hearing that later on Saturday, three leading lawmakers from Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were arrested as the authorities carried out their pledge to crack down on potential protests ahead of the six scheduled World Cup games in the country.
