MDC leader Nelson Chamisa risks arrest if his opposition party proceeds with plans to inaugurate him as the 'People's President', a cabinet minister has warned.
"The issue of Chamisa is very sad," justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told NewZimbabwe.com in a recent interview.
"As a lawyer, he should know that as soon as the State President has been dully inaugurated, you cannot go around and claim to be the president; in fact, that is treason."
Chamisa has refused to recognise his defeat by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the crunch July 30 elections.
Mnangagwa's victory was confirmed by a full bench of the Constitutional Court but Chamisa says he respects the apex court but profoundly disagrees with the decision.
He maintains that the election results were manipulated by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in favour of Mnangagwa.
Addressing his first post-election rally at St Mary's in Chitungwiza Chamisa revealed that the opposition movement was considering swearing him in as the "People's President".
The ceremony was planned for the MDC's 19th anniversary celebrations set to have been held on the 16th of last month.
The event which was scheduled for Gwanzura Stadium in Harare was postponed after the government banned public gatherings due to the cholera epidemic which has claimed 49 lives countrywide.
"If he (Chamisa) continues with the swear- in ceremony he will be committing an offence and will be arrested," said minister Ziyambi.
"Whoever is advising him to do that is advising him to break our own laws as a country."
Political tensions continue two months after the elections with the opposition furious over what it considers electoral theft by the ruling regime.
Mnangagwa has indicated plans to establish an official Leader of the Opposition post in what is seen as an attempt to placate his still-bitter rival.
Although Chamisa has said he is open to talks with the Zanu PF leader, he insists that he is not interested in a government job, quipping that Mnangagwa must offer jobs to the 80%-plus unemployed Zimbabweans instead.
