The State has withdrawn all charges it had levelled against political activist Acie Lumumba, real name William Mutumanje. The National Prosecuting Authority withdrew the charges saying that it was not in the “public interest” to prosecute Lumumba for insulting former president Robert Mugabe. Lumumba was facing charges of undermining the authority of the president after he allegedly said
You have never really seen Zimbabweans angry so here is the red line, Mr President Robert Gabriel Mugabe ‘f…you’, I have drawn the line…My name is Lumumba Lumumba Lumumba; I have said it three times and I say come get me.
The words were uttered at the launch of Lumumba’s Viva Zimbabwe opposition party in June 2016. Lumumba also threatened that if anything happened to him in retaliation, Mugabe’s children would also be “touched” in the future.
Lumumba was represented by Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.