MDC DEPUTY national treasurer and legislator Chalton Hwende recently wrote to the head of Namibian police seeking protection against forced return to Zimbabwe.
The Kuwadzana East MP was visiting relatives in Namibia during the parliamentary recess when reports emerged back home that he was wanted by the police in connection with the deadly recent anti-government protests.
12 people were killed while dozens suffered gunshot wounds and beatings at the hands of the security services as the Harare government used lethal force to crush the unrest.
Several opposition MDC legislators were among the more than 1,000 people arrested after the protests.
According to Windhoek media reports, Hwende’s attorneys wrote the Inspector-General of Namibian Police Sebastian Ndeitunga seeking protection against abduction by Zimbabwe’s intelligence agency.
According to Hwende’s attorney, agents from Zimbabwe’s CIO spy agency travelled to Namibia to track the legislator down.
“In the course of January 2019, our client was informed, through reliable sources, that members of the Zimbabwean intelligence agency, namely the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), travelled to Namibia to abduct and rendition him (Hwende) to Zimbabwe where he is apparently wanted for treason, incitement to commit public violence and other charges.
“According to the information, the members of the CIO already arrived in Namibia on or before 28 January 2019,” the lawyer said in his letter to Ndeitunga.
The attorney added; “Should our client not be afforded the necessary protection, our client will not hesitate to approach the High Court of Namibia on an urgent basis for appropriate order, including an interdict.”
The MP confirmed the development to NewZimbabwe.com, clarifying that he had not sought refuge Namibia as reported by local media.
He was expected to return to Zimbabwe early February.
