WINDHOEK - Chalton Hwende, a Member of Parliament for Zimbabwe’s
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, is in Namibia amidst
reports in his home country that he is wanted by police in connection
with recent protests in which about 12 people died.
Hwende, the Deputy Treasurer of the MDC-Alliance that lost a
presidential election in Zimbabwe late last year, is in the country and
has asked Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Sebastian Ndeitunga
for protection. According to media reports in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe
Republic Police have launched a manhunt for at least 27 MDC-Alliance
officials and activists, including their civil society partners, for
allegedly organising #Shutdown Zimbabwe protests which later turned
violent.
Although it is suggested in some circles especially in Zimbabwe that
Hwende is in hiding in Namibia, his Namibian lawyer Norman Tjombe said
the opposition MP is in the country to visit his relatives during the
period which the Zimbabwean parliament is in recess. He is due to return
to Zimbabwe in early February 2019, Tjombe said in a letter to
Ndeitunga.
According to media reports in Zimbabwe, suspects on the police wanted
list include, activist Promise Mkhwananzi, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
(CiZC) chairperson Rashid Mahiya, Hwende and party spokesperson Jacob
Mafume.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi was quoted saying
they wanted ‘to interview’ these people with regards to the violent
disturbances.
Tjombe’s letter to Ndeitunga, dated yesterday, said Hwende needed
protection against unlawful abduction and the possible rendition to
Zimbabwe at the hands of Zimbabwean Central Intelligence (ZCI).
“Should our client not be afforded the necessary protection, our
client will not hesitate to approach the High Court of Namibia on an
urgent basis for appropriate order, including an interdict,” reads
Tjombe’s letter.
Tjombe said, as publicly known, Zimbabwe maintains the death penalty
for offence such as treason, which is another reason that Hwende feared
returning to Zimbabwe, especially at the time of the brutal security
clampdown in response to the protest of the fuel increases.
“In the course of January 2019, our client was informed, through
reliable sources, that members of the Zimbabwean intelligence agency,
namely the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), travelled to Namibia
to abduct and rendition him (Hwende) to Zimbabwe where he is apparently
wanted for treason, incitement to commit public violence and other
charges,” further reads the letter.
“According to the information, the members of the CIO already
arrived in Namibia on or before 28 January 2019,” added the letter.
Yesterday former Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairman Itai
Dickson Mafios was convicted of inciting people in Bindura to join the
violent MDC Alliance-led protests, The Herald reported. He was to be
sentenced later in the day. New Era
0 comments:
Post a Comment