Two MDC MPs and a senior party official were arrested in Masvingo over the weekend together with more than 100 of the party’s rank-and-file as they celebrated the announcement by mediator Thabo Mbeki last Thursday evening that parties had reached a historic power-sharing deal.
Tachiona Chiminya, Masvingo West MDC MP; Jefferson Chitando, Masvingo Central MDC legislator and provincial chairman, Wilstaff Chitemere, were arrested and detained for four hours at Masvingo Central Police station on Friday after they took to the streets with a large contingent of MDC activists celebrating the power-sharing deal, that saw Mugabe signing away part of his sweeping presidential powers to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai under pressure from an imploding economy.
Meanwhile, two MDC MPs could not witness the signing ceremony of the power-sharing deal at the Harare International Conference Centre Monday because they were in remand prison.
Bednock Nyaude, Bindura MDC MP and Pearson Mungofa, Highfield East MP, remained in remand prison after the State appealed against the bail ruling handed down by a Harare magistrate.
Mungofa is facing charges of “causing disaffection among armed forces.”
He is jointly accused with the MDC party’s secretary Tichaona Mudzingwa and “allegedly spreading lies that Morgan Tsvangirai has won the March 29 elections.”
Mungofa was arrested on August 25 just after being sworn in when Parliament officially opened. It is alleged that the Mongofa and Mudzingwa intended to meet Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda over power transition before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) officially announced the results.
The State alleges the two were referred to the Officer Commanding KGVI military camp, Lieutenant Colonel Lunga, who informed them that Sibanda was unavailable.
The two allegedly misinformed the soldiers that Tsvangirai had won the presidential poll with 62 percent when ZEC had not announced the results.
Of the six MDC MPs who were arrested during the opening of Parliament last month, four have been granted bail but the cases are still pending. Shua Mudiwa, MDC MP for Mutare West, Mathias Mlambo, Chipinge East MP, Eliah Jembere, Epworth MP and Trevor Saruwaka, Mutasa Central are out on bail but their cases are still pending.
Jembere is accused of raping the wife of an MDC councillor in his constituency while her husband was in remand prison for another politically-related case.
Meanwhile, the trial of St Mary’s legislator Marvelous Khumalo accused of throwing stones at the house of former Chitungwiza Mayor, Darlington Nota, is continuing.
He is being charged with another nine MDC officials. The nine pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Shane Kubonera. They are facing charges of shouting obscenities at Nota and denigrating Mugabe in the run up to the presidential run off vote.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said MDC lawyers have since applied to the High Court to have the MPs released and the charges dropped. Speaking after the signing the agreemnt on Monday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said: “With the signing of this deal the door to freedom and democracy has been unlocked. The transformation of our lives begins now. How quickly and how successfully that happens will depend on the commitment of every Zimbabwean as an agent for positive change.”
In the meantime, the MDC MPs on remand will be eagerly waiting for that freedom.