Cheeky opposition MP parks at Mugabe offices, arrested by CIO

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

There was drama on Thursday when a lawmaker from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) parked close to the Munhumutapa government offices where President Robert Mugabe works from and immediately got arrested by Central intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives.

According to an online news report, Eric Murai, the MDC-T legislator for Highfield West, boldly parked his car directly opposite the Munhumutapa main gate which Mugabe uses and headed for the High Court on the other side of Samora Machel Avenue.

He intended to attend the sentencing of the four MDC-T members who were recently convicted for the murder of a police officer in 2011.

He did not make it to the High Court, though, because CIO agents quickly apprehended him and dragged him into the Munhumutapa premises, after which he was taken to Harare Central police station, according to Newzimbabwe.com.

Murai had parked his car in the far right lane of Samora Machel Avenue.

While people can freely pass near the heavily guarded offices, citizens have in the past been harassed by police and intelligence officers for stopping by or talking on their phones as they walknearby.

Experiencing a car breakdown close to the building is a nightmare for unlucky motorists who are subjected to verbal and physical attacks.

This contrasts sharply with government offices in other parts of the region where citizens and residents are not subjected to harassment for hanging around.

Mugabe moves around in a long siren-honking motorcade that is considered the biggest in Africa, and motorists who have disturbed the convoy have often been assaulted or arrested.

Local laws demand that the presidential motorcade be given precedence over all other traffic.

Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC-T secretary general and a senior lawyer, insisted that Murai  did not break any law.

“Murai is a member of parliament and he is a government official. He is a civil servant and has the same privileges as judges and ministers. This is basic knowledge.

“He is entitled to park where he parked his vehicle. I think he will be released eventually and I am sure he is not worried about that too. Mugabe can torture us and brutalise us, but change is coming,” he told Newzimbabwe.com. Nehanda Radio