By Political Reporter
Leader of Transform Zimbabwe and Government critic Jacob Ngarivhume has been criticized for urging people to throng the streets and demand the release of Hopewell Chin’ono and Job Sikhala who are in remand prison on charges of deliberately spreading falsehoods.
Writing on his Twitter handle yesterday, Ngarivhume urged people to be at the court today where the duo’s request for bail is to be heard.
“Can we be at the court tomorrow please comrades. We must support our compatriots as they appear before the magistrates. There is no greater encouragement for Hopewell and Job knowing that people outside are rising up and speaking on your behalf” tweeted Ngarivhume.
Ngarivhume’s tweet was dismissed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, as a money making gimmick.
“Whenever he is broke, Ngarivhume will gather two or three people so that the police can arrest him. When he is arrested, it will become news and his handlers will then give him some money,” said Mangwana.
Shumirai Nyashanu said Ngarivhume’s message borders on incitement and urged the police to arrest him for incitement.
“This man is inciting people to rise up. Our police should not take this lightly but must swiftly arrest him for inciting people to unlawfully demonstrate. Zimbabwe is not a banana republic where people are allowed to break the law,” said Nyashanu
Johnson Mugadza reminded Ngarivhume that incitement is a crime and that he should withdraw his tweet.
“Inciting people to commit a crime is a crime. Zimbabwe is under a COVID 19 lockdown and only people providing essential services are permitted to move. Calling people to break the lockdown regulations is deliberately provoking,” said Mugadza.
Cynthia Shumba described Ngarivhume as an irresponsible opposition leader who finds joy in exposing citizens to COVID 19 for cheap political goals.
“You are an irresponsible leader. We expect you to be on the forefront spreading COVID 19 awareness messages but instead you are inciting people to go and demonstrate for Chin’ono and Sikhala in defiance of lockdown regulations. Why do you want to expose people to this deadly pandemic”, added Shumba.
Chin’ono and Sikhala were arrested last week for communicating false information. The duo lied that the Zimbabwe Republic Police officer had beaten and killed a child strapped to its mother’s back using a baton stick, an assertion that has since been dismissed by the police as not only misleading but grossly false.
