Man arrested for calling for guns to overthrow Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF

Police in Zimbabwe arrested a 22 year-old man on allegations that he moved around a shopping centre in the dormitory town of Chitungwiza while calling for the overthrow of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF party.

Blessing Mhembere is also accused of having asked those with guns to bring them along so that he can use them.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) who are representing Mhembere confirmed the development saying their client has been charged with subverting constitutional govt as defined in section 22(2)(A) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and with incitement to subvert a constitutional government as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

“Mhembere is accused of moving around a bus terminus at Makoni Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza and shouting on top of his voice and mobilising people to ‘remove President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF political party from power.’

“For allegedly doing so Mhembere was apprehended and charged with subverting constitutional govt as defined in section 22(2)(A) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and with incitement to subvert a constitutional govt as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.”

Mhembere is represented by human rights lawyer Freddy Masarirevu of the ZLHR.

The arrest of Mhembere is coming at a time when Mnangagwa’s regime is being accused of silencing the dissent through arbitrary detentions, abductions and torture.

Two weeks ago, opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter and pastor Tapfumaneyi Masaya was abducted and tortured to death by suspected state security agents.

CCC senior member Job Sikhala has been in prison for more than a year without trial.

In another case, ZLHR has approached the High Court challenging the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s refusal to furnish Mabvuku-Tafara parliamentary candidate Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi with a polling station-based voters’ roll ahead of next month’s by-elections.