A Zimbabwe prisons officer has been charged with undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his social media posts showing support to the main opposition leader.

Mr John Mahlabera allegedly tweeted; “come to Chiredzi my president” after the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa held a rally at a business centre.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Mr Mahlabera has been charged with violating the prisons’ disciplinary code.

He is accused of “showing loyalty to the opposition party president, while exhibiting disloyalty and disgraceful contact (sic) to the president of the republic of Zimbabwe and head of state and government and commander in chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces or his office.”

Have evidence

Mr Mahlabera is set to appear before a prison service’s disciplinary hearing on June 12, but ZHLR said it was a violation of freedom of expression.

“First of all, they do not have evidence to the effect that the Twitter account belonged to my client,” said Mr Collins Maboke, a ZHLR lawyer representing Mr Mahlabera.

“Secondly, how did they come to the conclusion that he was referring to the president of the MDC, Nelson Chamisa,” the lawyer posed.

“What if he was referring to another president of an association or President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Again the constitution guarantees freedom of expression.”

Fresh clampdown

ZHLR said since 2010, they had represented close to 200 people arrested for allegedly insulting or undermining the authority of the president.

After taking over from long time ruler Robert Mugabe in November last year following a coup, President Mnangagwa pledged to protect freedom of expression.

He has also vowed to ensure that the General Elections due between July and August is free and fair.

However, ZLHR described the prison service’s decision to charge Mr Mahlabera as a “fresh clampdown on dissent” head of the elections.