The hearing into the constitutional challenge by former Dzivarasekwa MP Solomon Madzore, who is accused of labelling President Robert Mugabe a “limping donkey”, was yesterday deferred to next Wednesday by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).
BY CHARLES LAITON
Madzore is alleged to have made the remarks at an MDC-T rally at Mushumbi Pools business centre, Guruve, in April 2013.
Following his arrest and prosecution over the alleged utterances, Madzore filed an application at the ConCourt seeking the quashing of the criminal charges against him.
Prosecutor-General’s representative Innocent Muchini then applied for postponement of the matter, saying it had been wrongly set down on yesterday’s roll.
According to local laws, it is a criminal offence to say anything that creates feelings of hostility, cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of the country’s President.
Madzore, who was expelled from Parliament on Tuesday for crossing the floor to join the MDC Renewal Team alongside 20 other former MDC-T legislators, wants the provisions of that law struck off the statutes.
In his application Madzore said: “Zimbabwe is not a monarchy and certainly the President is not a deity who cannot be criticised. We are entitled to hold our leaders to account whether or not such exercise will result in people hating, ridiculing or feeling contempt towards them.”
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The former MDC-T youth leader is accused of calling Mugabe a “limping donkey, who is making it difficult for Morgan Tsvangirai [MDC-T leader and former Prime Minister] to rule properly in the [then] unity government”.
Madzore has since denied the allegations. He is out on $100 bail.
