Ishmael Maukazuva, the Councillor for Ward 12 in Chikomba West Constituency, has been released after spending two days in detention.
He was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers and charged with undermining the authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Maukazuva, who was represented by Paida Saurombe from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), was taken into custody on Wednesday. 
The arrest followed accusations that he had forwarded a TikTok video clip to the Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers Association WhatsApp group.
The video, which allegedly showed a woman criticising President Mnangagwa for mismanaging the economy, included derogatory comments about the president and the ruling ZANU PF party.
However, on Friday, March 14, 2025, prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew the charges against Maukazuva.
The charges were withdrawn on the basis that they (prosecutors) had not first obtained a certificate to prosecute from the Prosecutor-General, authorising them to pursue legal action against the opposition political party Councillor.
It had been alleged that Maukazuva had unlawfully circulated the TikTok video, which featured disparaging remarks about President Mnangagwa.
The video included an anonymous woman accusing the president of causing “misfortunes” for Zimbabweans and urging him to step down in favour of a “younger” leader.

Pindula News

An opposition councillor named Ishmael Maukazuva was arrested for sharing a video criticizing President Mnangagwa. He spent two days in detention but was later released when prosecutors withdrew the charges. The charges were dropped because the prosecutors did not have the proper authorization to prosecute him. The video Maukazuva shared showed a woman criticizing the president for mismanaging the economy. The woman in the video also urged President Mnangagwa to step down for a younger leader. Maukazuva was represented by a lawyer from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Opposition Councillor Arrested For For Sharing Video Criticising Mnangagwa Freed After Prosecutors Withdraw Charges

Councillor Ishmael Maukazuva of Ward 12 in Chivhu, Mashonaland East Province, has been arrested on allegations of cyber-bullying and harassment.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Maukazuva is accused of violating the Data Protection Act by sharing a video on a residents’ WhatsApp group, which allegedly shows a woman criticising President Mnangagwa’s handling of the economy and making derogatory remarks about the ZANU PF party leader.
Maukazuva, represented by ZLHR’s Paidamoyo Saurombe, was detained overnight at a Chivhu police station and was expected to appear in Chivhu Magistrates Court on Thursday.
This arrest makes Maukazuva the latest individual to face charges related to insulting President Mnangagwa, joining a growing list of people targeted by Zimbabwean authorities in their intensified crackdown on criticism of the country’s leader.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights views Maukazuva’s arrest as a disturbing escalation of the authorities’ assault on dissent, where perceived opponents of President Mnangagwa and his ruling ZANU PF party are being aggressively pursued, and arrested by the police.

Opposition councillor Ishmael Maukazuva from Zimbabwe got arrested for sharing a video criticizing President Mnangagwa. He shared this video in a WhatsApp group. He was accused of cyber-bullying and harassment. He spent the night in jail and was going to court. This is not the first time someone got into trouble for criticizing the president. People who speak out against the president are being targeted by the police. This arrest shows that the authorities are being mean to people who disagree with the president.

Opposition Councillor Arrested For Sharing Video Criticising President Mnangagwa

A Harare-based doctor, Lenon Gwaunza, has been convicted of cyberbullying after sending an email to a colleague, Dr. Andrew Mataruse, in which he labelled him an unqualified neurologist, <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/harare-medical-doctor-convicted-for-bullying-colleague/">reported ZimLive</a>.
Gwaunza was convicted following a trial presided over by Magistrate Batsiraishe Zishiri. He has been remanded out of custody and is awaiting sentencing on December 20.
Gwaunza apologized for his actions, saying he did not intend to bully Mataruse. The state successfully demonstrated that Gwaunza’s email, which was copied to other doctors, falsely claimed Mataruse was not a qualified clinical neurologist. The message stated:
<blockquote>
I was volunteering at Pari and I have from immediate effect relinquished that role, so I will be unable to supervise Dr. Mushawarima.
Secondly, Dr. Mushawarima is a fully fledged neurologist who doesn’t need to be supervised by myself or by Dr. Mataruse who isn’t a clinically-trained neurologist.
However, council feels it’s in Dr. Mushawarima’s interest that he is supervised by someone who has never seen the entrance of a neurology training centre.
Please, by all means, go ahead. I will not be involved in that circus.
</blockquote>
Mataruse has many post-graduate qualifications including MMed Medicine(UZ), Fellow College of Physicians (Eastern Central Southern Africa College of Physicians), Master of Science in Clinical Neurology (University College London), Specialist Certificate in Clinical neurology (Royal College of Physicians) and Fellow of the European Board Neurology.
Mataruse supervised Gwaunza during his senior registrar year in 2020, a role assigned by the Medical and Dental Profession Council of Zimbabwe.
In her ruling, the magistrate noted that Gwaunza did not dispute making the false statement about Mataruse’s qualifications.
The court emphasized that Gwaunza was aware of Mataruse’s qualifications due to their supervisory relationship and stated that only the council could determine a practitioner’s training and registration status.
In mitigation, Gwaunza argue that he is serving the community by engaging in volunteer specialist work at Mpilo Hospital and imprisonment would hinder his ability to serve the community.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

A doctor named Lenon Gwaunza was convicted of cyberbullying for sending a mean email to another doctor, Andrew Mataruse. In the email, he said Mataruse was not qualified. The court found that Gwaunza's email was false and hurtful. Mataruse has many qualifications in neurology. Gwaunza apologized but is waiting for his punishment. The court said only the council can decide if someone is qualified. Gwaunza argued that going to jail would stop him from helping the community. The court will decide his sentence on December 20.

Harare-Based Doctor Convicted Of Cyberbullying A Colleague

Jiti musician Baba Harare, whose real name is Braveman Chizvino, has described ZANU PF sympathiser and preacher Passion Java, born Panganai Java, as a social media bully.
Baba Harare and Java have been exchanging jibes on social media and their “tiff” reportedly escalated after the former urged youths to register to vote.
Java also mocked Baba Harare, describing the musician as a spent force.
Speaking in an interview with NewsDay, Baba Harare said he was not fighting Java to get likes and loves on social media platforms. He said:
<blockquote>
Java is a bully. I do not like bullies, particularly on social media. I don’t think Java needs a reason to start antagonising anyone.
We might have bumped into each other on a few occasions, but I don’t know Java personally.
I believe a person should not be silent when insulted by a bully. My responses to him were meant to stand up against the shenanigans of bullies.
Standing up against a bully is out of principle. My true fans understand this and, in fact, they have rallied behind me.
We are encouraged as artistes that when someone is being unreasonably cruel, we should be quiet.
I, however, don’t subscribe to that because sometimes addressing issues is necessary.
Java, like any bully, needs to be addressed. It is evident in the reaction to my retaliation to his nonsense that people are fed up with him.
I think he is a very bad role model to society and his skewed perception of the world is damaging. So, when virtual paths are crossed, I had to tell him.
</blockquote>
Baba Harare recently released his seventh album titled Zimbabwean Giant.
The songs on the album are Haubvire, which features Jah Prayzah, Wandibaya Moyo, Ndauya featuring dancehall singer Freeman and Dan Lu P, Madhunamutuna, Munotichengeta featuring gospel singer Munyaradzi Munodawafa, Akanaka, Poto Inopisa featuring Mai Titi, Terera Mitemo featuring dancehall chanter Blot and Wazonditenderedza Pfungwa featuring urban groover ExQ. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/life-amp-style/article/200004969/java-is-a-bully-baba-harare">NewsDay</a>

Passion Java Is A Bully, I Stand Up To Bullies - Baba Harare

A CCC member in Kadoma, Mashonaland West Province, Emmanuel Manguda has been arrested on allegations of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Manguda, an interim CCC Kadoma district secretary, allegedly posted an image deemed derogatory to Mnangagwa.
He is being charged for contravening section 164B of the Cyber and Data Protection Act for cyberbullying and harassment.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Manguda posted a picture of a cockroach bearing the head of the President in May.
He is yet to appear in court.
If found guilty, Manguda faces up to 10 years in jail, a fine or both.
Section 164B of the Act says anyone who posts a message, picture or material with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, threaten, bully or cause substantial emotional distress, or to degrade, humiliate or demean any other person shall be guilty of an offence. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200000835/ccc-activist-nabbed-for-insulting-president">NewsDay</a>

CCC Member Arrested For Insulting President

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has been criticised for threatening to clamp down on social media users who “cyber-bully” government officials.
Zimbabwe Union Journalists (ZUJ) secretary-general Foster Dongozi said when he saw the statement by the police, which was posted on Twitter, he thought someone had hacked the ZRP’s Twitter handle. Said Dongozi:
<blockquote>When I saw the tweet, I dismissed it because I thought somebody had hacked the police Twitter handle. We do not believe civilians can pose a threat to government officials.
I would have believed it if it was about the terrorist attack on journalists covering a Press conference at Impala Car Hire.
It was a terrorist attack because those involved were never arrested or said to be on the run.</blockquote>
Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu called for police officers to undergo social media literacy classes as it seems that they do not know what cyberbullying entails. He said:
<blockquote>Maybe there is need for a social media literacy class by police on what cyber-bullying is, which laws criminalise it and a few examples of such cases so that we may know how to moderate our behaviour when engaging government officials.</blockquote>
Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Zimbabwe chapter director Tabani Moyo urged police to approach the issue of cyberbullying in a holistic manner and not from the angle of the ruling elite. Moyo said:
<blockquote>Everyone deserves to be protected when doing their work online, be it, women, in media or across the divide, be it the youth, the opposition and ruling party members.
Protecting only the ruling elite is missing the target and they have to promote the responsible use of the internet and not trample over rights of citizens in the process just to protect the ruling class elite</blockquote>
In a press statement posted on microblogging site Twitter on Monday evening, police said:
<blockquote>The ZRP warns individuals and groups from committing crimes through cyber-bullying of government officials who will be performing their constitutional and lawful obligations in terms of service delivery to Zimbabweans.
The Police are aware that a certain group of suspects who know that their arrest is imminent is fingered and issuing threats and harassing some officials…</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/12/police-targets-ed-critics/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

Police Criticised For Threatening Social Media Users

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has warned individuals and groups against what it called cyberbullying of government officials who will be performing their official duties.
In a post on its official Twitter page on Monday evening, ZRP singled out Harare Provincial District Coordinator Tafadzwa Muguti and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana as victims of cyberbullying.
Police said they are aware of those who are harassing the government officials on social media sites and the suspects know that their arrest is imminent. The post read:
<blockquote>The ZRP warns individuals and groups from committing crimes through cyber-bullying of Government officials who will be performing their Constitutional and lawful obligations in terms of service delivery to Zimbabweans.
The Police are aware that a certain group of suspects who know that their arrest is imminent is fingered and issuing threats and harassing some officials @TMuguti @nickmangwana.</blockquote>
Responding to the tweet by the police, MDC Alliance (MDC-A) national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere reminded the ZRP that the Constitution of Zimbabwe gives citizens the right to challenge the government and that police have a constitutional duty to uphold and enforce the law.
Section 67 (1) (d) says every Zimbabwean citizen has the right “to participate, individually or collectively, in gatherings or groups or in any other manner, in peaceful activities to influence, challenge or support the policies of the Government or any political or whatever cause”.
In terms of Section 219 (1) (e) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the police service and its functions include “upholding this Constitution and enforcing the same law without fear or favour”.

Police Issue Bizarre Threat On Social Media

People from Gokwe districts (that is, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gokwe_South" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gokwe South</a> and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gokwe_North" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">North</a>) have often been bullied on social media by their Zimbabwean compatriots as there is a perception that they are backward (vakasara) and witches.
It has been reported that in the 1960s, Gokwe was made witchcraft dumping place under the Witchcraft Suppression Act, during the colonial era.
Provincial Minister for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavhima had this to say:
<blockquote>Gokwe used to be a resettlement area created by the white settlers where they would place black people.
It used to be a tsetse fly area and people who resettled there came from different backgrounds and places.</blockquote>
A place called Gandavaroyi (witchcraft dumping place) in Gokwe North has given “credence” to the perception that the district is a haven of witches.
However, Gokwe has produced a significant number of eminent people, among them, are Paul Mavhima – the Minister of Public Works, deputy minister of Defence Victor Matemanedanda, Minister of State Security Owen Ncube, as well as legendary former Warriors goalkeeper <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Energy_Murambadoro" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Energy Murambadoro</a>.
<a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/gokwe-bullied-on-social-media/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">More: H-Metro</a>

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