Zim lecturer suspended for denigrating Mnangagwa

By Wallace Mawire

Zimbabwean  authorities have suspended a college lecturer from
employment after he allegedly denigrated President Emmerson Mnangagwa
by accusing the ZANU PF party leader and his government of paying poor
salaries to civil servants, according to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

Authorities at Harare Polytechnic College recently served Amos
Dauzeni, a lecturer at the college’s Hospitality Department with a
suspension letter barring him from reporting for duty after he was
accused of misconduct.

According to the misconduct charge sheet, Dauzeni was accused of
unbecoming behaviour or indecorous behaviour in breach of section
44(2)(a) of the Public Service Regulations after he allegedly
denigrated President 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, Dauzeni allegedly shouted that President 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 pay
slip, which shows that he earns $465 RTGS 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 told him that he could not do as advised, Dauzeni reportedly
scolded him for being President 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.

Dauzeni, who was given two weeks by college authorities to respond to
the misconduct charges and is represented by Tinomuda Shoko of
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), is the latest person to be
persecuted for allegedly insulting President Mnangagwa.

According to ZLHR, more than 10 people have been prosecuted or
persecuted since December 2017 for allegedly undermining or insulting
authority of President Mnangagwa.

During the country’s former leader Robert Mugabe’s reign, more than
200 people were charged with criticising the deposed nonagenarian
leader including opposition party supporters, human rights activists
and ordinary citizens.