Opinion / Columnist
In my view Beatrice Mtetwa should be Zimbabwe's next president
22 Mar 2013 at 14:55hrs | Views
I am going to be personal this time. I am appalled by the vindictive treatment Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa is receiving from the Zanu-pf justice system.
It is an injustice to deny someone bail and incarcerate them in disregard of a high court ruling, let alone the same Roman Dutch law used in South Africa where a murder suspect is out on bail.
Everything done so far – including parading an arrested Mrs Mtetwa at the back of an open truck being driven through the streets of Harare, charging her for a trivial offence as alleged, denying her bail until April point to a sinister and well calculated campaign meant to break her spirit.
Contrary to claims that there have been reforms enough to justify going for polls, the regime is defiantly showing the whole world that it is spoiling for a fight ahead of elections. Zanu-pf is punishing the learned lawyer for her principled stand on human rights.
I am saddened that even those she defended in various court cases have not bothered to lend her morale support, probably fearing ZRP retribution, but at least Morgan Tsvangirai should prove what power he has in the so-called power-sharing government by drawing the line on rights abuses.
Today it is Mrs Mtetwa tomorrow it could be a top level MDC-T official if not Tsvangirai himself being subjected to the same ZRP injustices.
The male-dominated Zimbabwean polity excluding Mr Coltart who has spoken out, should be ashamed of itself for ill-treating a woman who resembles everyone's caring mother apart from her being an award winning advocate.
What the ZRP is doing is deplorable and must stop forthwith. Every Zimbabwean should not wait for the promised bill of rights to come into force for them to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a properly constituted court of law.
Mr Chihuri, ZRP boss, please do us a favour. Show respect for women as they are the ones who brought us to this world.
In my view, Mrs Mtetwa should stand for presidential elections whenever and I am sure, all voters with brains will vote her into power after what we have seen so far. Arguably, only then would the current leadership vacuum in Zimbabwe come to an end. I said I was going to be personal.
Contact author: zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
Source - Clifford Chgitupa Mashiri | Political Analyst, London
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