A LECTURER at the Harare Polytechnic College has been suspended for allegedly denigrating President Emmerson Mnangagwa over poor civil servants’ salaries during a conversation with a soldier at a bar in Harare.
By Everson Mushava
Amos Dauzeni, a lecturer at the college’s hospitality department, has been barred from reporting for duty for three months over the alleged misconduct.
According to the misconduct charge sheet, Dauzeni was accused of unbecoming or indecorous behaviour in breach of section 44(2)(a) of the Public Service Regulations after he allegedly denigrated Mnangagwa during a conversation which he held with a soldier in a bar in central Harare.
During the conversation with Simbarashe Muti, a member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Dauzeni allegedly shouted that Mnangagwa had mismanaged the country’s economy, resulting in the payment of poor salaries to government workers.
College authorities charged that during the altercation with Muti, who filed a complaint with the institution protesting against Dauzeni’s conduct, the lecturer reportedly went on to produce a copy of his payslip, which showed that he earns ZWL$465 and threw it on the floor in front of the soldier and uttered the words: “Take this piece of paper and give it to Mnangagwa.”
When Muti protested, Dauzeni reportedly scolded him for being Mnangagwa’s lapdog, together with other members of the ZNA.
The college authorities charged that Dauzeni had behaved in a manner unbefitting of a public civil servant. During his three months suspension period, Dauzeni will not be entitled to his salary and allowances and will not be allowed to leave Zimbabwe without the approval of the college authorities.
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Dauzeni, who was given two weeks to respond to the charges and is represented by Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), is the latest person to be persecuted for allegedly insulting Mnangagwa.
According to ZLHR, more than 10 people have been prosecuted or persecuted since December 2017 for allegedly undermining or insulting the authority of Mnangagwa.
During the country’s former leader Robert Mugabe’s reign, more than 200 people were charged for criticising the deposed nonagenarian leader, including opposition party supporters, human rights activists and ordinary citizens.
