Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter
The matter in which recalled Kuwadzana East legislator Chalton Hwende is facing charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government was yesterday further remanded to July 28.

His court appearance came a day after he was recalled from Parliament by MDC-T.

Hwende appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboa two months after his application for refusal of further remand was turned down by magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, who ruled that a message he Tweeted late in 2018, was tantamount to calling for the illegal removal of a constitutionally-elected Government.

In his application for refusal on further remand, Hwende argued that he had been on remand for nearly a year without being furnished with a trial date.

Mrs Mugwagwa, in her ruling after Hwende’s application, said there was a link between him and the Twitter account, which he, through his lawyer Mr Harrison Nkomo, had refuted.

Circumstances leading to Hwende’s arrest were that during the period between December 28 and 31, 2018, he posted messages on his Twitter handle which allegedly had the effect of inciting people to revolt against the Government.

Hwende’s Twitter posts are alleged to have incited the public to overthrow the constitutionally-elected Government of Zimbabwe by engaging in mass protests characterised by violence and hooliganism.

“We can’t continue on this trajectory of failure and kwashiorkor of leadership. Enough is enough? In January, citizens must organise themselves for a complete shutdown of the country. Stay at home. No one will shoot you,” read one of the posts.

It is alleged that Hwende also posted a message to the effect that 2019 was the year of rolling mass action against President Mnangagwa.

“We voted for @nelsonchamisa and we must be prepared like the thousands of gallant liberation struggle heroes to die defending our right to choose the president of our choice #2019ChamisamuOffice,” tweeted Hwende.

The State alleges that as a result of the nationwide public violence committed by demonstrators following incitement by Hwende, lives were lost, many members of the public and police officers were injured, while some police institutions were attacked.