Opinion / Columnist
Arrest of MPs unconstitutional
06 Mar 2019 at 09:30hrs | Views
Today police arrested Hon Charlton Hwende who represents Kuwadzana East in Parliament. He was arrested on his arrival at the airport after a family and business trip in Namibia.
He has been charged with attempting to subvert a Constitutionally elected government despite the fact that Hon Hwende had travelled to Namibia in December of 2018 to attend to family matters and business.
We make the point once more that the arrest has nothing to do with Prosecution but everything to do with political persecution.
On a similar note Hon Joanna Mamombe who was arrested on Saturday the 2nd of March has been further remanded in custody to the 19th of March 2019.
This is against a background of several irregularities on her arrest including the outsourcing of vigilante characters who arrested her purporting to be police officers, who failed to respect her rights and over-detained her beyond the stipulated 48 hrs.
The same individuals also confirmed before the courts that they are the ones who broke into her mother's home knowing very well that it was not Hon Joanna's place of residence.
In Chitungwiza, Hon Godfrey Sithole also spent days in custody only to be released today on bail.
These arrests are political and must stop forthwith. We are aware of the failed Zanu PF government's intention to disrupt the MDC's legislative and oversight agenda in Parliament.
We are also concerned by the harrassmment of ordinary citizens we represent, their rights must be respected, they must be allowed to enjoy political freedoms and more importantly, the Constitution must be upheld.
It is the supreme law of the land and it provides for a non-partisan police service and independence of the judiciary while guaranteeing political rights.
We will keep pushing in Parliament for the full respect of the supreme law of the land.
Behold the New. Change that Delivers!
Hon Prosper Mutseyami
MDC Chief Whip
He has been charged with attempting to subvert a Constitutionally elected government despite the fact that Hon Hwende had travelled to Namibia in December of 2018 to attend to family matters and business.
We make the point once more that the arrest has nothing to do with Prosecution but everything to do with political persecution.
On a similar note Hon Joanna Mamombe who was arrested on Saturday the 2nd of March has been further remanded in custody to the 19th of March 2019.
This is against a background of several irregularities on her arrest including the outsourcing of vigilante characters who arrested her purporting to be police officers, who failed to respect her rights and over-detained her beyond the stipulated 48 hrs.
The same individuals also confirmed before the courts that they are the ones who broke into her mother's home knowing very well that it was not Hon Joanna's place of residence.
In Chitungwiza, Hon Godfrey Sithole also spent days in custody only to be released today on bail.
These arrests are political and must stop forthwith. We are aware of the failed Zanu PF government's intention to disrupt the MDC's legislative and oversight agenda in Parliament.
We are also concerned by the harrassmment of ordinary citizens we represent, their rights must be respected, they must be allowed to enjoy political freedoms and more importantly, the Constitution must be upheld.
It is the supreme law of the land and it provides for a non-partisan police service and independence of the judiciary while guaranteeing political rights.
We will keep pushing in Parliament for the full respect of the supreme law of the land.
Behold the New. Change that Delivers!
Hon Prosper Mutseyami
MDC Chief Whip
Source - MDC
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