The arrest of one of the former Zimbabwe opposition's ministerial nominees is threatening the unity government sworn in yesterday.
The party said in a statement today that police detaining MDC treasurer general and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate Roy Bennett have denied him food.
Mr Bennett was arrested at an airport on the outskirts of Harare yesterday, shortly before the swearing-in.
He was charged with attempting to leave the country illegally, but the charge was later changed to treason.
The party later said that the Mayor of Mutare, Brian James, who was thought to have been also arrested, had not been.
Mr James and the Manicaland provincial MDC leadership tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with police to allow them to give Mr Bennett food.
He was among the most striking names on new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's cabinet list.
His Charleswood farm was expropriated under President Robert Mugabe's land reforms in 2003, and the following year he was jailed for eight months for assault after he punched the justice minister during a heated debate in parliament on the land programme.
His case is expected to go to court on Monday.
