THREE opposition political party legislators have slapped government
with a lawsuit demanding more than $20 000 as compensation for
violation of their fundamental rights when some law enforcement agents
assaulted them in Parliament in November 2018.
The three opposition MDC party legislators namely Hon. Lynette Karenyi
(Proportional Representation), Hon. Thabitha Khumalo (Proportional
Representation) and Hon. Amos Chibaya representing Mkoba constituency
were manhandled and assaulted by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)
officers who invaded Parliament in November 2018 to eject them
following an instruction by Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob
Mudenda after they refused to rise to attention when President
Emmerson Mnangagwa entered Parliament to attend the 2019 national
budget presentation in protest against the ZANU PF leader’s claim to
victory in the July 2018 elections.
In summons filed recently at Harare Magistrates Court by the
legislators’ lawyer Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights, the lawmakers, who cited ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin
Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema
as respondents, charged that some ZRP officers assaulted them using
clenched fists and open hands and had their clothes torn during the
scuffle.
Shoko charged that the assault of the legislators amounted to
violations of their constitutional rights to be treated humanely, with
respect, with dignity, with integrity and not to be subjected to
physical, psychological torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment guaranteed in sections 50, 51, 52 and 53 of
the Constitution.
Hon. Karenyi, who fell down as she was forcefully grabbed by three
police officers and suffered injuries on her right arm as a result of
the assault is demanding $9 000 for damages emanating from shock,
pain, suffering and past and future medical expenses.
Hon Chibaya is demanding compensation for payment of $9 000 being
damages for pain, suffering and medical bills he incurred for
treatment, while Hon Khumalo, who is asthmatic and lost her breath
during the Parliament fracas and sustained some bruises on her hand
and right hip as a result of being manhandled by ZRP officers, is
demanding payment of $9 000 for shock, pain and suffering and for past
and future medical expenses.