AN MDC councillor who told a security guard he “only argued with Robert Mugabe” has been arrested and charged with “undermining the authority of the President”.

Benard Nyamambi, 40, a councillor for the Movement for Democratic Change party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in the resort town of Victoria Falls could be fined or jailed for a year if convicted.

Nyamambi was arrested on March 16 this year, a day after he argued with a security guard at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. The guard had refused Nyamambi permission to drive into the premises.

The councillor, angry at the snub, told the guard: “I cannot argue with you, I only argue with Robert Mugabe. Who are you with three bars? You will die poor.”

Prosecutors say Nyamambi’s remarks fell foul of Zimbabwe’s tough security laws which make it an offence to “publicly, unlawfully and intentionally make any statement about or concerning the President ... with the knowledge or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that the statement is false and that it may engender feelings of hostility towards; or cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of; the President ... or makes any abusive, indecent or obscene statement about or concerning the President or an acting President, whether in respect of the President personally or the President’s office.”

An individual convicted for the offence “shall be guilty of undermining the authority of or insulting the President”, according to Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Nyamambi, the councillor for Ward One, appeared at the Victoria Falls Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday but the trial was postponed to next week because the completed docket had not been received from the regional police HQ in Hwange.