Lawyers flag arrests for insulting Zimbabwe president; 40 cases in two years

By Agencies

HARARE: The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights says it’s worried about an uptick in the detention of citizens for allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The organisation says in the past two years it’s recorded 40 such cases countrywide.

Arrests of Zimbabweans accused of mocking the President were rampant in the Mugabe era.

The most recent arrests were in the northern town of Bindura and in Chitungwiza, on the outskirts of Harare, say human rights lawyers.

Political analysts and veteran politicians say they did not expect this from the Mnangagwa administration.

Veteran politician Wurayayi Zembe said, “it means therefore that the current head of government learnt nothing.

He worked with Mugabe for more than 40 years.

And we saw that in Zanu PF there was an uprising and how Mugabe left power was through victimisation of the current President Mnangagwa himself.

Mnangagwa has ruled Zimbabwe for the past 6 years after taking power from Mugabe.

In his inaugural speech in 2017 President Mnangagwa promised protection of human rights and respect for freedom  in Zimbabwe.