News / National
'I will always support Chamisa,' says dismissed ZPCS officer
20 Nov 2020 at 06:44hrs | Views
A former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officer, John Mahlabera has vowed to continue supporting MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa despite losing his job over a tweet in which he professed his undying support for the opposition leader.
"Come to Chiredzi my President", Mahlabera tweeted in the build up to the 2018 harmomised elections.
It is this tweet that courted trouble for the prison officer who was immediately suspended and ultimately dismissed from the service but despite losing everything, Mahlabera who is now hustling in the streets of Harare says that his support for Chamisa will never die.
"My crime was supporting my president Nelson Chamisa. I lost my job because of that but I am not apologetic.
"It is who I am and now I am looking forward. There is no time to look back because no one can really change my political opinion.
"I have no fixed job at the moment and I am hustling like most Zimbabweans to provide for my family," said Mahlabera.
A few weeks after Mahlabera's tweet, Chamisa headed to Chiredzi and addressed one of his biggest 2018 campaign rallies in Tshovani Stadium and Mahlabera was called to the stage where Chamisa paraded him and praised his gutsy character.
Mahlabera was charged of contravening the Prisons Staff Disciplinary Regulations of 1984.
Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Mahlabera was found guilty of using 'disloyal' or 'traitorous' words against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and contravening Prisons Staff Disciplinary Regulations of 1984 which led to his dismissal.
Mahlabera tried to make an appeal earlier this year but it was ignored by former prisons boss Paradzai Zimhondi.
"Come to Chiredzi my President", Mahlabera tweeted in the build up to the 2018 harmomised elections.
It is this tweet that courted trouble for the prison officer who was immediately suspended and ultimately dismissed from the service but despite losing everything, Mahlabera who is now hustling in the streets of Harare says that his support for Chamisa will never die.
"My crime was supporting my president Nelson Chamisa. I lost my job because of that but I am not apologetic.
"It is who I am and now I am looking forward. There is no time to look back because no one can really change my political opinion.
"I have no fixed job at the moment and I am hustling like most Zimbabweans to provide for my family," said Mahlabera.
A few weeks after Mahlabera's tweet, Chamisa headed to Chiredzi and addressed one of his biggest 2018 campaign rallies in Tshovani Stadium and Mahlabera was called to the stage where Chamisa paraded him and praised his gutsy character.
Mahlabera was charged of contravening the Prisons Staff Disciplinary Regulations of 1984.
Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Mahlabera was found guilty of using 'disloyal' or 'traitorous' words against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and contravening Prisons Staff Disciplinary Regulations of 1984 which led to his dismissal.
Mahlabera tried to make an appeal earlier this year but it was ignored by former prisons boss Paradzai Zimhondi.
Source - tellzim
