Zimbabwean Journalist Detention, Condemned

By Shingirai Vambe

Harare-Alfa Media Holding, HStvNews Production manager, Blessed Mhlanga has been arrested. Mhlanga was arrested this morning after handing himself over to the police in the presence of his Lawyer, Chris Mhike.

The arrest of Mhlanga comes not as a surprise to many, with the current political landscape and ongoing tension in the governing, ZANU PF party on the 2030 Agenda.

Mhlanga and his production team gave space to the outspoken, and ZANU PF Central Committee member, Blessed Runesu Geza, who demanded the country’s leader and first Secretary of the Party, Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign on allegation of maladministration, corruption and misgovernance.

Geza is on the police wanted list and his wife, Roseline Ndaizivei Tawengwa was questioned and later taken by the police, CID Law-and-Order section few days ago. She is being represented by her Lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa.

Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Regional and Country Director, Tabani Moyo, told the Post on Sunday Newspaper that Mhlanga was supposed to appear in court today which didn’t happen and he confirmed that he has been put in detention, for how many nights? He doesn’t know.

“Yes, indeed we can confirm that journalist with Heart and Soul tv, Blessed Mhlanga, handed himself to the police today in the presence his Lawyer, Chris Mhike, and charged with contravening section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. which is inciting violence through circulating messages online,” said Moyo.

He added that as MISA they are yet to understand the status of the case, after highlighting that they would take him to court, but that has since not happened, indications show that this will happen a day which is not today, which by extension mean he will spend a night or nights in detention.

“As MISA we always insist that there are professional mechanisms or remedies to parties that have got grievances that they see coming out of the media, firstly they can approach the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) or the Voluntary Media Council (VMCZ), for immediate remedies rather than opting the route of arresting Journalists while they are doing their work,” added Moyo.

He further clarified that that as far as MISA is concerned, there is no complainant that they are aware of, and this might be a matter that the police themselves they are interested in, and there is a Media, Police section plan, which is at our disposal to utilize, if need be, rather than opting to arresting Journalist before investigations are in full swing.

“We continue to monitor the case,” exclaimed Moyo.

Mhlanga was summoned by the police, law and order section twice and positively responded and went to Harare Central Police Station, the police said they were interested in an old case which involved his wife and former Minister, Terrence Mukupe. The second time he also handed himself over to the police, and the police said they didn’t have anything of interest for him.

Besides interviewing Geza, Mhlanga also interview Jealousy Mawarire, an assumption that he could have been arrested for interviewing Mawarire. Political analysts, civic society groups and netizens have condemned the arrest of the journalists and coded it as a political arrest.

Owner of the Alfa Media Holdings, Trevor Ncube wrote on his social platform page on X that he condemned the arrest and detention of Mhlanga today. “Dhara is spending the night in police custody accused of “Transmission of data message inciting violence or damage to property.” He went further and said, “This follows HStvNews broadcast of an interview with Blessed Geza. This is punishing Dhara for doing his work as a journalist.

Ncube described Mhlanga as a principled and courageous journalist who will not be broken by brazen harassment and intimidation.