THE main opposition MDC yesterday demanded that Home
Affairs minister Cain Mathema should issue a ministerial statement in
Parliament explaining all the cases of abductions and torture of persons that
have happened in the country and tainted its human rights record.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya yesterday made the demands
before deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi Gezi.
Mathema was present in the House as Chikwinya made his
proposal, but before the opposition legislator was even halfway through,
Mathema had already stormed out of the House.
“I would like to raise a point of privilege and say that
every time we pray in this House we pray in order to make laws for the good
governance and maintenance of peace in this country,” Chikwinya said.
“It is disheartening that ever since August 14 we have seen
26 opposition MPs being abducted at night,” he said as Mathema stormed out of
the House.
Chikwinya continued: “Section 61 (1) (b) of the
Constitution allows for freedom of expression and creation of content, but it
is disheartening that in these days of high unemployment where our youths seek
to eke a living, they are abducted,” he said, adding that even MPs were
beginning to experience threats to their lives.
“As MPs, while we are doing our work, we must seek to be
protected, but recently Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu had his house
sprayed with 21 bullets around 1:00 am. While we are doing our work as MPs we
expect protection from law enforcement agents,” he said.
Chikwinya further noted that section 58 and 59 of the
Constitution speak to freedom of assembly and to demonstrate.
Section 58 (1) reads: “Every person has the right to
freedom of association and assembly, and the right not to assembly or associate
with others.”
Section 59 further speaks to freedom to demonstrate and
petition stating that: “Every person has the right to demonstrate and to
present petitions but these rights must be exercised peacefully.”
Despite the Constitution giving such rights; it was
disheartening that members of the opposition were not allowed to petition,
mourned Chikwinya.
“The laws are being wantonly ignored by members of the
Executive, assisted by members of the Judiciary. I call upon the Home Affairs
minister to come and give a ministerial statement in the House on the issue,”
he said.
Recently, a number of Zimbabweans, including Amalgamated
Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Obert Masaraure and comedian
“Gonyeti”, have been abducted and tortured by unknown people.
Concerned by the clampdown on demonstrators and opposition
supporters, European Union countries last week issued a joint statement
slamming government’s repression on demonstrators.
“Intimidation, harassment and physical attacks on human
rights defenders, trade union and civil society representatives and opposition
politicians, prior to, during and following the demonstration in Harare on
August 16 are cause of great concern,” the EU statement read.
Meanwhile, MDC legislators cheered as leader of the
opposition Thabita Khumalo and Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya (party secretary-general)
entered the House. The two were arrested over the August 16 demonstrations that
saw several people being beaten up by the police with many sustaining injuries.
Newsday
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