Pair arrested for tearing Mnangagwa election posters

by MARCUS MUSHONGA
HARARE, (CAJ News) – ZIMBABWEAN police have arrested two men for allegedly tearing some political campaign posters of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as tensions intensify ahead of elections scheduled for July 30.

Peter Bizare, aged 29 years, and Tatenda Kamutungunde (25) are under probe following allegations they tore the posters pasted at a tuck shop (spaza) in Harare and instead stuck posters of bearing Zalerah Makari, an independent candidate for the Epworth constituency in the capital city.

She is among officials that have quit Mnangagwa’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) , which has been rocked by factionalism since the ouster of longtime predecessor, Robert Mugabe, in a military coup last November.

Epworth, a low density poverty-stricken settlement with a population of
over 150 000 people, has been a hotbed of political violence ahead of
Zimbabwe’s general elections.

Following a complaint by Weston Mushangura, the tuck shop owner, Bizare and Kamutungunde are facing charges of “destruction of political posters” in contravention of sections of the Electoral Act.

The duo is also facing another charge of assault under the Criminal Law
(Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly teaming up with some
unidentified Epworth residents to harass the tuck shop owner.

Other suspects are still at large.

Harare Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa has granted Bizare and Kamutungunde US$20 (R274) bail each and remanded them out of custody to July 13 for commencement of trial.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is opposing their prosecution.

– CAJ News