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Police summon MDC MP on charges of insulting president Mugabe
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
June 30, 2011

Police in Bindura have once again summoned Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) MP for Epworth, Hon. Eliah Jembere for allegedly insulting and undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe.

Bindura police on Monday 27 June 2011 served Hon. Eliah Jembere with summons to stand trial on Thursday 30 June 2011 at Bindura Magistrates Court.

Hon. Jembere, who had been removed from remand late last year was arrested last year in Shamva, Mashonaland Central province for allegedly contravening Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 by undermining the authority of or insulting President Mugabe.

The police allege that Jembere insulted President Mugabe when he addressed party supporters at a constitutional awareness meeting by saying "Mugabe mudenga, ZANU PF mudenga, vabatanidzei, roverai roverai pasi," which the police interpreted as meaning to say "Mugabe up, ZANU PF up, bring them together and drop them down."

Last year Bindura Magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura removed Hon. Jembere from remand on the same charges of insulting President Mugabe after his lawyer Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers Human Rights applied for refusal of further remand.

Besides Hon. Jembere, several MDC legislators and ordinary Zimbabweans have been hauled before the courts on charges of insulting or undermining President Mugabe.

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