Top Attorney Demands For The Arrest Of Chamisa Assassination Zanu PF Campaigner
26 July 2022
Spread the love

By- A leading attorney and human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, has written to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) demanding the arrest of a Zanu PF activist, Abton Mashayanyika, for calling for the assassination of the CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa.

Mashayanyika, popularly known as Bhito in Mabika, Gaururo and Mudavanhu areas, said Chamisa was a sellout who deserved to die.

Below is Mtetwa’s demands to the ZRP, the Human Rights Commission, National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, National Prosecuting Authority, and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission:

I write to all your organizations concerning a video circulating on various social media platforms where the person addressing the meeting called for the violent Murder of NELSON CHAMISA, other supporters of his political party and his children. Should you require the video which incites the Murder and violence against members of a lawful political party, same is readily available.
Like other citizens, I have been waiting with bated breath for the arrest of the inciter and for the law to take its course. As it does not appear that the law enforcement agencies have taken any action on these inciteful calls, I shall assume that the country’s ever-alert law enforcement agents missed this video in their usual scouring of social media sites in search of offensive and possibly criminal material.
Investigations have determined that the incitement to Murder and violence was issued by one ABTON MASHAYANYIKA, with the nickname BHITO who is said to be a Bishop of a religious organisation known as HABBAKUK APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION. The inciter was addressing a ruling parry rally at RAMPOPO HILLS under CHIEF MAPIRAVANA in MBERENGWA NORTH and that he is from the DLEHARI AREA under SABHUKU KURAICHA.
To the Commissioner General of Police, I request that in line with your Constitutional mandate to detect, investigate, and prevent crime, in addition to protecting and securing the lives and property of Zimbabweans, you investigate these utterances with a view to prosecuting what is clearly a criminal offence which has the potential of affecting the country’s internal security and the various rights that citizens are entitled to enjoy as provided for in the Constitution.

To the Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission, I bring this matter to your attention so that you can, as part of your Constitutional mandate, investigate the conduct of the maker of the inciteful words with a view to directing the Commissioner General to fully investigate the matter as there can be no doubt that the call for the killing of Zimbabweans in a clear criminal act which violates Zimbabweans’ rights to freedom of association and the right to join and to participate in the activities of political parties of their choice has no place in a country which has full respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms. To the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, I request that, in terms of your Constitutional mandate, you intervene in this matter with a view to preventing the carrying out of the call to murder MR CHAMISA and his children and that you seek to conciliate and mediate any perceived conflict amongst the country’s political parties so that potential conflict, particularly as we approach the 2023 elections, is eliminated. It is my belief that your Commission, which is fully aware of the bloody nature of previous elections, is obliged to proactively advocate for tolerance and respect of different political beliefs and to promote peaceful co-existence amongst political parties. To this end, your Commission ought to be proactive in the discharge of its mandate where blatant calls for violence are made.

And to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, this is a complaint which would, if handled as is envisaged by the law, help political parties understand that every Zimbabwean has the right to participate in the country’s political processes without fear of being killed, maimed, intimidated and ultimately excluded in the determination of who governs the country. I, therefore, request that you take all necessary steps to ensure that all political parties are allowed the space required to campaign unhindered as the country approaches the 2023 elections and that where there are clear breaches of the law which will affect the fairness and freeness of electoral processes, you deal with such breaches in terms of the powers given to you under the Electoral Act.
And to the National Prosecuting Authority, the request is that you look into this matter and exercise your prosecutorial powers independently, impartially and without fear or favour so that the perception that you only pursue and vigorously prosecute opposition political party members can be dispelled.
I look forward to receiving acknowledgements from all of you and being appraised of your proposed courses of action.
Yours faithfully
B. MTETWA MTETWA & NYAMBIRAI