Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai addresses a MDC parliamentary caucus in Harare May 30, 2008. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change said on Wednesday its leader Morgan Tsvangirai had been detained by police at a roadblock while campaigning in a run-off presidential vote.

“We are currently held up. They are saying there’s a commanding officer whom we should wait for. They are not saying why they are holding us up. It’s not an arrest but illegal detention. It appears they want to disrupt our campaign program,” Tsvangirai’s spokesman George Sibotshiwe said.

Tsvangirai was detained at 1000 GMT, the MDC said. Police searched all vehicles and inspected documents.

The MDC says 50 people have been killed by President Robert Mugabe’s supporters since the first round vote. On Wednesday, it said soldiers and ZANU-PF activists had beaten and threatened to shoot Zimbabweans who wanted to meet and support Tsvangirai.

“Mugabe is determined to turn the whole country into a war zone in order to subvert the will of the people and steal the June 27th election by any means possible,” Tsvangirai said while campaigning in Bulawayo.