Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tendai Biti has lashed out at the ruling government calling it a tin pot regime that has no respect for the fundamental rights of its citizens.
This follows the recent arrest of cleric and returning activist Evan Mawarire who is being accused of subverting the ZANU PF government and has been classified as a dangerous criminal.
The former Finance Minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU) said the arrest of Mawarire goes against the grain of democracy.
“The arrest of the Pastor is an attack on free speech by a desperate paranoid regime stuck in some dingy Cold War corner afraid of its shadows”.
“(It’s) self-evident that the regime does not understand the fundamental rights to oppose, to demonstrate and to differ codified in the new constitution”.
Biti derided the government of failing the basics locally yet seeks to lecture others about democracy.
“The little tin pot regime presiding over the worst economic collapse of any country not at war thinks it can lecture the AU on values”, he said.
Biti said he supported the US government’s stance against the move which has seen the local embassy producing a statement deriding the arrest of Pastor Mawarire and Pastor Mugadza despite calls by some that the Donald Trump administration is trespassing.
“Bravo to the US embassy for standing up to fascism & having the guts to speak out in this terrible age of appeasement accommodation &retreat”, he said.
The arrested Mawarire has since had his case deferred to February 17 whilst he is in detention after being refused bail.
Comments
About Author
