Another MDC MP Freed For Insulting Mugabe

Prosecutors accused the Epworth legislator of insulting the octogenarian leader by telling party supporters at a meeting convened to raise awareness on the impending constitution making process that, “Mugabe mudenga, ZANU PF mudenga, vabatanidzei, roverai roverai pasi,” which the police translated to mean “Mugabe up, ZANU PF up, bring them together and drop them down.”

The police also charged Kagodora with the same offence as that of Jembere. They claimed that Kagodora also criticised the former liberation war fighter when he told party supporters that, “Mugabe mudenga, Grace mudenga, vabatanidzei, roverai pasi,” which the police said meant that, “Mugabe up, Grace up, bring them together and drop them on the ground.”

Magistrate Chitumbura granted free bail to both Jembere and Kagodora after Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) applied for bail.

Jembere was arrested together with his party’s Provincial Treasurer for Mashonaland Central Gilbert Kagodora last Saturday in Shamva for allegedly breaching Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 by undermining the authority of or insulting President Mugabe.

Jembere is the latest MDC MP to be charged with the offence of insulting or undermining the country’s aged leader.

On Monday MDC organizing secretary and Senator Morgan Komichi was removed from remand after prominent human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama applied for refusal to place him on remand on the basis that the facts submitted by the State did not disclose any reasonable grounds that he committed an offence.

The State had alleged that Komichi had undermined the authority of or insulted President Mugabe after he allegedly sang a song with the lyrics: “Chimurume chagire chandifungisa dhongi rangu rakafa kare kare,” which the police construed to mean “Grace’s husband reminds me of my donkey which died long long back referring to His Excellence (sic) President Robert Gabriel Mugabe who is husband of the first Lady Comrade Grace Mugabe”.

Another MDC MP for Makoni South Pishai Muchauraya is facing charges that he said Mugabe was too old and suffering from diarhoea at a rally in 2006.