Jeremiah Bamu
Jeremiah Mutongi Bamu is a practicing Attorney with Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni Legal Practitioners, a leading human rights and labor law firm in Zimbabwe.
Background
Jeremiah holds the LLB (Hons) Degree from the University of Zimbabwe. He was admitted to practice as Legal practitioner, Conveyancer and Notary public in December 2007 and has been in private practice since then. He has been with Mbidzo, Muchadehama & Makoni Legal Practitioners since 2007. Between 2010 – 2015, he joined the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and had another brief stint with Tamuka Moyo Attorneys briefly before re-joining the firm in August 2016. He has a wealth of experience in human rights, constitutional law and labour litigation. He is an award winning human rights lawyer, having been conferred with the Law Society of Zimbabwe Young Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award sponsored by Scanlen and Holderness in 2011.[1]
Career
He has over ten years' experience in human rights litigation and advocacy. He volunteers with community outreaches where he shares a basic understanding of human rights and constitutionalism to human rights defenders and community members. Jeremiah also participates in mobile legal clinics where he gives free legal advice to the communities in partnership with various human rights organizations. He led the research and work on election-related litigation ahead of the 2018 general elections in Zimbabwe. Upon his return from the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Jeremiah continued with his work on election-related litigation and broaden his work on access to justice.[2]
He is also the lawyer of the three MDC Alliance women abducted in May 2020, Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.[3] He is also representing Zengeza West legislator, Job Sikhala, who was arrested on 21 August 2020 in Tynwald North in Harare. He is being charged with inciting violence.[4]
In May 2019, four pro-democracy campaigners, George Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Gamuchirai Mukura and Nyasha Mpahlo, were arrested at Harare International Airport. They were accused of plotting to subvert President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, and were denied bail when they appeared before magistrate Hosea Mujaya, where they were charged with subversion. They were represented by Jeremiah Bamu.
The State alleges that on 13 May 2019, the suspects, who are all members of various civic society organisations, allegedly connived with their accomplices, (who are still at large) and traveled to Maldives where the four participated in a meeting. They underwent a training workshop organised by a Serbian non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Centre for Applied Non-violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS) aimed at subverting a constitutionally elected government. During the workshop, the accused were trained on how to mobilise citizens to turn against the government and to engage in acts of civil disobedience and or resistance to any law during the anticipated national protest by anti-government movements, read part of the State’s papers. The accused were also trained on how to operate small arms and to evade arrest during civil unrest. The State also alleges that the quartet was taught basics of counter intelligence and acts of terrorism. Upon arrival and arrest at the airport, their laptops, cellphones and notes from the workshop, that contained the alleged subversive materials, were seized by the State. [5]
Arrest
Human rights lawyer Jeremiah Bamu representing Job Sikhala has been arrested outside Harare Magistrates Courthouse. He was later released without any charges.[6]
Bamu arrest
References
- ↑ [1], MMM, Accessed: 22 August, 2020
- ↑ [2], IREX, Accessed: 22 August, 2020
- ↑ Farai Mutsaka, [3], Daily Herald, Published: 15 May, 2020, Accessed: 22 August, 2020
- ↑ Mandla Ndlovu, [4], Bulawayo 24 News, Published: 22 August, 2020, Accessed: 22 August, 2020
- ↑ 4 rights activists denied bail, Newsday, Published: 23 May 2019, Retrieved: 24 March 2020
- ↑ ZLHR, [5], Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Published: 22 August, 2020, Accessed: 22 August, 2020
