Mnangagwa called to order

A local Harare law firm Mbidzo, Muchadehama & Makoni has written a letter of demand to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on behalf of a client Kudzai Kadzere, a human rights lawyer, giving him 10 days to reverse the unprecedented appointment of Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda as an ex officio member of the ruling Zanu-PF's decision-making administrative organ, the politburo, which has been widely described as blatantly unconstitutional and unlawful.

The law firm said it has written the letter to Mnangagwa on behalf of Kadzere, a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights member and attorney, challenging Sibanda's illegal appointment in the public interest.

On 14 January, Kadzere was stopped and assaulted by police officers on his way to see his clients at a police station. He was then taken to the same police station where his clients were detained and placed in custody.

The following day, Kadzere was released for medical attention, but was charged with criminal nuisance under the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.

He was further charged with allegedly absconding from lawful custody when he tried to file a police report the next day against the police officers who assaulted him.