Prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said Zimbabweans are beginning to yearn for the Robert Mugabe era as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule has become more ruthless than the country’s late long-serving founding leader.
Mtetwa made the remarks while speaking on South African broadcaster’s e.tv Checkpoint on Tuesday evening.
She said she was not caught up in the euphoria that engulfed the nation when Mugabe was hounded out of office by the military in November 2017. Said Mtetwa:
Everybody thought that no one would take us down the Mugabe route again but people are becoming nostalgic for Mugabe now which is quite ironic.
Nobody ever thought someone would come in and be worse than what Robert Mugabe was.
I did not have the same excitement that most people had, so I am one of the few people who did not even go out to the streets (to celebrate the fall of Mugabe).
Reports indicate that since Mnangagwa came to power on the back of the coup, less than three years ago, more people have been charged with treason than during Mugabe’s 37-year rule.
Unarmed civilians have been shot dead by security forces while dozens of human rights activists have been arrested for demanding accountability and an end to widespread government corruption.