By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has angered Zanu PF and government after calling President Emmerson Mnangagwa a hyena.

Government reacted harshly warning Chamisa to “disengage from abusive politics” of taking improper pot-shots at Mnangagwa.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said in a statement yesterday said by calling President Mnangagwa “a hyena” in the press, Chamisa was sowing “a seed of national instability and civil disturbances”.

“Government has noted with concern statements published in a local daily newspaper where opposition leader Mr Nelson Chamisa labelled the Head of State and Government, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as a ‘hyena’. The language used by the opposition leader qualifies to be called ‘hate speech’ and has no place in civilised politics,” said Mr Mangwana.

Since assuming power in 2017, Mangwana added that Mnangagwa made it part of his politics to preach and practise political tolerance while accommodating even those who disagree with him.

“We find the calling of the President inflammatory names only inciteful and a deviation from acceptable political commentary or even political banter.”

He said free speech was limited insofar as it cannot be allowed to demean the Office of the Presidency, as Chamisa’s splinter group was trying to do.

Mangwana said: “Free speech is meant to benefit society and we struggle to see how an effort to diminish the dignity of a seating President can be of benefit to society.”