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Biti claims Mnangagwa want to exterminate rivals through COVID-19
21 Jan 2021 at 06:24hrs | Views
MDC ALLIANCE vice president Tendai Biti has accused the Emmerson Mnangagwa led government of deliberately imprisoning opponents and critics in Covid-19 infested jails to try and exterminate them through exposing them to the deadly pandemic.
This comes after MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has revealed testing positive for Covid-19.
The opposition activist, who faces communicating falsehoods charges, had been locked up at remand prison for seven days.
She believes she contracted the pandemic during her incarceration at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
Mahere was Monday released on $10 000 bail and went straight to test for Covid-19 while claiming prison authorities were not enforcing prevention measures against inmates.
In a twit on Wednesday, Biti said the government must take full responsibility for Mahere's Covid-19 status.
"The regime must take full responsibility of Advocate Mahere's situation. It must take full responsibility of every Zimbabwean who has succumbed to Covid 19. misgovernance, cluelessness & recklessness are crimes against humanity," Biti said.
Upon her release, Mahere complained of deplorable holding cells at Harare Central Police Station where she spent a night before she was taken to court.
The activist was jailed together with party legislator Job Sikhala and journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, who are both still in custody.
The three all face the same charge of communicating falsehoods in a case involving a widely circulated video image erroneously linking a police officer to the murder of a baby while enforcing Covid-19 lockdown rules at a Harare bus stop.
Similarly, Harare mayor and MDC Alliance official Jacob Mafume was recently released from remand prison where he had been languishing for nearly a month. He is accused of land corruption and bribery but denies both charges.
Mafume's lawyers claim the city father was now in isolation after two cell mates recently succumbed to Covid-19.
Student activist Allan Moyo has also been locked up at Harare Remand Prison for more than 40 days, charged with inciting public violence.
Biti felt the targeting of party politicians for arrests and incarceration was all calculated to expose them to Covid-19 which continues to take many lives.
"Zimbabwe prisons are imploding with Covid 19. Inmates were exposed to conditions that were degrading cruel & inhuman long before Covid 19. Covid 19 has exacerbated a desperate situation. By incarcerating activists, regime is intent on eliminating activists and every other inmate," said the Harare lawmaker.
This comes after MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has revealed testing positive for Covid-19.
The opposition activist, who faces communicating falsehoods charges, had been locked up at remand prison for seven days.
She believes she contracted the pandemic during her incarceration at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
Mahere was Monday released on $10 000 bail and went straight to test for Covid-19 while claiming prison authorities were not enforcing prevention measures against inmates.
In a twit on Wednesday, Biti said the government must take full responsibility for Mahere's Covid-19 status.
"The regime must take full responsibility of Advocate Mahere's situation. It must take full responsibility of every Zimbabwean who has succumbed to Covid 19. misgovernance, cluelessness & recklessness are crimes against humanity," Biti said.
Upon her release, Mahere complained of deplorable holding cells at Harare Central Police Station where she spent a night before she was taken to court.
The activist was jailed together with party legislator Job Sikhala and journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, who are both still in custody.
The three all face the same charge of communicating falsehoods in a case involving a widely circulated video image erroneously linking a police officer to the murder of a baby while enforcing Covid-19 lockdown rules at a Harare bus stop.
Similarly, Harare mayor and MDC Alliance official Jacob Mafume was recently released from remand prison where he had been languishing for nearly a month. He is accused of land corruption and bribery but denies both charges.
Mafume's lawyers claim the city father was now in isolation after two cell mates recently succumbed to Covid-19.
Student activist Allan Moyo has also been locked up at Harare Remand Prison for more than 40 days, charged with inciting public violence.
Biti felt the targeting of party politicians for arrests and incarceration was all calculated to expose them to Covid-19 which continues to take many lives.
"Zimbabwe prisons are imploding with Covid 19. Inmates were exposed to conditions that were degrading cruel & inhuman long before Covid 19. Covid 19 has exacerbated a desperate situation. By incarcerating activists, regime is intent on eliminating activists and every other inmate," said the Harare lawmaker.
Source - newzimbabwe
