A 34-year-old man has been in prison for nearly a month after his arrest in February for allegedly making derogatory remarks about President Emmerson Mnangagwa and praising Blessed Runesu Geza, a war veteran and former ZANU PF Central Committee member.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Alfred Ngonidzaishe Machakaire, a resident of Gowo village in Chief Makoni’s area in Inyati, Makoni District, Manicaland province, has spent 24 days in police custody and at Reshape Prison in Manicaland.
Machakaire was arrested on February 24, charged with undermining the authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa under section 33(2)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Prosecutors claim that Machakaire insulted President Mnangagwa during a verbal altercation with Leonard Chidemo, a ZANU PF Councillor for Ward 5 in Makoni North constituency.
The incident occurred at Mugadza Bottle Store at Runyange Business Centre in Chendambuya, where Machakaire allegedly asked Chidemo to buy him a beer.
When Chidemo refused, saying he had no money, Machakaire became upset and began shouting at the ZANU PF Councillor.
Prosecutors alleged that Machakaire insulted President Mnangagwa by saying: “You Chidemo, down with Mnangagwa, I am Geza, on the 31st, the country will be fine, Mnangagwa is a vagina, you have caused the death of people in the country.”
In addition to the insult, Machakaire allegedly praised Geza, a liberation war veteran and former ZANU PF member recently expelled from the party.
Machakaire’s case is one of many in Zimbabwe, where individuals have been arrested and prosecuted for allegedly undermining or insulting President Mnangagwa.
Machakaire is represented by Leonard Chigadza of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

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A man, Alfred Machakaire, was arrested for insulting President Mnangagwa and praising Geza. He spent 24 days in prison. He insulted the president in a verbal disagreement with a ZANU PF Councillor. He said bad things about the president and praised Geza. This has happened to many people in Zimbabwe. Leonard Chigadza is representing Machakaire.

34-Year-Old Man Detained For Insulting Mnangagwa And Praising Geza

A 26-year-old man from Shurugwi has been confined to remand prison after allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa by calling him a dog.
As reported by <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/shurugwi-man-in-court-for-calling-mnangagwa-a-dog/">The Mirror</a>, Tinashe Chigiya (26), from Makandire Village, Chief Nhema, Shurugwi, appeared before Magistrate Sithabile Zungula, who remanded him in custody to a later date for the continuation of his trial.
Prosecutor Kwanele Njini alleged that on January 27, 2025, at Musavezi River, Chigiya called Mnangagwa a dog after a minor drowned in the river.
Chigiya reportedly blamed Mnangagwa and ZANU PF supporters for permitting Chinese nationals to extract sand from the river.
He allegedly claimed the river had become unsafe for children and the water was contaminated due to their activities.
Chigiya is also accused of punching and head-butting Shurugwi ZANU PF Ward 8 Councillor Audreck Mhaka, whom he allegedly accused of being incompetent.

A man called Mnangagwa a dog and got arrested. He blamed him for a child's death in a river. He said Chinese people were responsible for making the river unsafe. The man also punched a ZANU PF councillor. He thought the councillor was incompetent. The man is now in prison waiting for his trial to continue.

Shurugwi Man Arrested After Allegedly Calling Mnangagwa A Dog And Punching ZANU PF Councillor

A 37-year-old man from Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province, Patrick Kingirasi, who was arrested on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been granted ZWL$500 000 bail.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said that Kingirasi, an unemployed resident of Bindura, was arrested last month and spent 24 days in pre-trial detention in Bindura Prison.
On Tuesday, 12 December, Bindura Magistrate Ndokera set Kingirasi free after granting him ZWL$500 000 bail.
Kingirasi, who was represented by human rights lawyer Pride Dzapasi, returns to court on 15 December. ZLHR said:
<blockquote>
Prosecutors alleged that Kingirasi who is represented by [Pride P Dzapasi] undermined and insulted President Mnangagwa on 2 October, when he called Edson Chibaya, a fellow Bindura resident, on his mobile phone and made some utterances to the effect that the ruling ZANU PF political party members were thieves and blamed the ruling party’s leader for causing massive suffering among citizens and for authoring the country’s economic crisis.
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Kingirasi is alleged to have shouted at Chibaya in the Shona language that “Musandiitire zvechimbavha zve ZANU PF nava Mnangagwa venyu varikutipa kutambura,” which prosecuting authorities translated to mean “Do not be thievery in ZANU PF way with your Mnangagwa, who is causing us to suffer.”
Prosecutors said Kingirasi’s alleged utterances were unlawful, intentional, abusive, indecent and abusive.
The Bindura resident is the latest among dozens of Zimbabweans, who have been arrested, detained and prosecuted on charges of undermining the authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.
During the reign of Robert Mugabe, the country’s late leader, more than 200 people were prosecuted and persecuted on the same nefarious charges of undermining the authority of or insulting the President, charges which continue to be preferred against citizens in the post-Mugabe era.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Bindura Man Arrested For "Insulting" Mnangagwa Granted ZWL$500 000 Bail

A 37-year-old man from Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province, Patrick Kingirasi, has been in pre-trial detention for almost three weeks following his arrest on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said that Kingirasi, an unemployed resident of Bindura, was arrested in November and has been languishing in prison for 20 days. ZLHR said:
<blockquote>
In the political hotbed province of Mashonaland Central province, we are working on securing freedom for Patrick Kingirasi, a 37-year-old man, who was arrested last month and has been in prison for 20 days on charges of undermining the authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.
Kingirasi, an unemployed resident of Bindura in Mashonaland Central province, has been languishing in remand prison after he was arrested by [the Zimbabwe Republic Police] on 18 November and charged with undermining the authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.
Prosecutors alleged that Kingirasi who is represented by [Pride P Dzapasi] undermined and insulted President Mnangagwa on 2 October, when he called Edson Chibaya, a fellow Bindura resident, on his mobile phone and made some utterances to the effect that the ruling ZANU PF political party members were thieves and blamed the ruling party’s leader for causing massive suffering among citizens and for authoring the country’s economic crisis.
Kingirasi is alleged to have shouted at Chibaya in the Shona language that “Musandiitire zvechimbavha zve ZANU PF nava Mnangagwa venyu varikutipa kutambura,” which prosecuting authorities translated to mean “Do not be thievery in ZANU PF way with your Mnangagwa, who is causing us to suffer.”
Prosecutors said Kingirasi’s alleged utterances were unlawful, intentional, abusive, indecent and abusive.
The Bindura resident is the latest among dozens of Zimbabweans, who have been arrested, detained and prosecuted on charges of undermining the authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.
During the reign of Robert Mugabe, the country’s late leader, more than 200 people were prosecuted and persecuted on the same nefarious charges of undermining the authority of or insulting the President, charges which continue to be preferred against citizens in the post-Mugabe era.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Unemployed Bindura Resident Arrested For "Insulting" President Mnangagwa

A Mutare man who was imprisoned for a month for allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has finally been released on free bail.
28-year-old Elroy Anesu Muchaya allegedly stormed a police station, removed Mnangagwa’s portrait, and blamed him for causing suffering in his life.
He was arrested on 06 September 2023 and charged with undermining the authority of or insulting the President as defined in Section 33(2)(b) of the Criminal Code.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)’s Chris Ndlovu and Takunda Musara of Gonese Ndlovu Legal Practitioners secured Muchaya’s release.
A statement released by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights 0n 11 October 2023 reads:
<blockquote>
In Mutare, we have ended the month-long detention of Elroy Anesu Muchaya, a 28-year-old man, who had been languishing in prison after he was arrested &amp; charged for allegedly blaming President Mnangagwa for causing misery in his life.
Muchaya of Sakubva suburb in Mutare was arrested by [the Police] on 6 September and charged with undermining the authority of or insulting the President as defined in section 33(2)(b) of the Criminal Code.
According to prosecutors, Muchaya visited the ZRP Mutare Traffic Charge Office, which was manned by Ignatius Maziveyi, a ZRP officer, who was on duty, in the early hours of 6 September, where the 28-year-old man allegedly stepped on the counter &amp; removed President Mnangagwa’s portrait &amp; uttered the words “Munhu uyu arikukonzeresa kuti nditambure”, which was translated to mean “This person is the one who is causing my suffering” while holding the portrait close to himself.
Prosecutors said Muchaya’s alleged utterances were unlawful, abusive, indecent &amp; obscene &amp; he had no right to act in the manner he allegedly did.
Muchaya was released from prison on 5 October on free bail granted by Mutare Magistrate Prisca Manhibi, after his lawyers Chris Ndlovu of [the ZLHR] &amp; Takunda Musara of Gonese Ndlovu Legal Practitioners, challenged his continued detention in jail &amp; applied for his release.
Muchaya returns to court on 19 October.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Man (28) Accused Of Insulting Mnangagwa Released On Bail

A police officer stationed at Tongwe base in rural Beitbridge recently appeared in court for allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa and threatening to arrest ZANU PF members who were drinking beer at a local business centre, reported <a href="https://cite.org.zw/drunk-cop-insults-mnangagwa-threatens-to-arrest-zanu-pf-members/">CITE</a>.
The accused, Constable Tapfuma, is being charged with contravening Paragraph (5) 35 of the Schedule to the Police Act, Chapter 11. 10 as read with sections 29 and 34 of the said Act: “Acting in an unbecoming and disorderly manner or in any manner prejudicial to good order and discipline and reasonably likely to bring discredit to the police service.”
Allegations are that on 14 May 2023 at around 6.30 PM at Vendason Bottle Store, Constable Tapfuma was drinking beer and playing snooker with other patrons.
He allegedly insulted and threatened to arrest three ZANU PF members who were also at the bottle store.
The complainants are Mauritius Nare, Junior Ngorima and Freddy Sibindi. Part of the State outline reads:
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Upon noticing the three, the defaulter started insulting them saying, imi madhara eZANU PF munoita titambure, mukauya ku base kwangu makapfeka hembe ye ZANU PF ndokusunga! Meaning to say “ZANU PF supporters are causing people to suffer and if they enter a police camp whilst wearing ZANU PF regalia he will arrest them.”
The defaulter went on to say that he has been deployed at Tongwe base to make sure MDC wins this year’s elections.
The defaulter’s conduct was not in line with the ZRP code of conduct and brings the name of the organisation into disrepute.
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Sibindi, who is headman under Chief Sitaudze, alleged that the police officer also claimed that he had assaulted one Habakkuk Ndou, a patron at the bottle store, for his allegiance to the ruling party. Said Sibindi:
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I heard Constable Tapfuma telling Habakkuk Ndou who has a scar on his thigh that it was them as MDC members who had assaulted him, He said “ronda raunaro wakarohwa nesu isu vanhu ve MDC.
I rebuked him for uttering such sentiments. When I was about to leave the bottle store Constable Tapfuma grabbed me by the hand and asked me which political party I belonged to.
I replied that I belonged to ZANU PF and I was born a ZANU PF member. Constable Tapfuma started shouting at me saying (obscenities/vulgar) vanhu veZANU PF pamwe chete na President wenyu. Hamugoni kutonga.  Iwe wakagumira grade 5, President wenyu akagumira grade 7. Mapurisa akadeployiwa kuno kuma ruzevha ndee MDC gore rino ZANU PF hamuhwini,nyika ndeyedu isu ve MDC” which means you ZANU PF followers together with your president you are not educated. You only attained education up to grade 5 level and your president up to grade 7 level. All young police officers who are deployed in all these rural areas belong to MDC. This year ZANU PF is not winning elections and MDC is going to win.
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In his testimony, Nare the village head of Makawa village under Chief Sitaudze also alleged that he heard Constable Tapfuma saying he would arrest any person who would come to the base to make a report wearing ZANU PF regalia.
Sibindi said he phoned Ward 4 Councillor Ketina Moyo and ZANU PF Beitbridge DCC Chairperson Samuel Mulaudzi and informed them about the ordeal.
Sibindi said the following morning, he went to the police base to confront Constable Tapfuma but he denied having uttered such words and pleaded for forgiveness stating that maybe he was drunk. Added Sibindi:
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He begged me not to report the incident to anyone including his superiors. I left him and went home.
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More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Police Officer Insults Mnangagwa, Threatens To Arrest ZANU PF Members

A 43-year-old Harare man was arrested recently on charges of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The suspect, Dumisani Dangirwa, allegedly said Mnangagwa was a failure and will lose in elections expected later this year.
Dangirwa appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi on Thursday and was remanded in custody pending bail application.
Allegations were that on 07 April 2023, Dangirwa was at the corner of Bank Street and Cameroon Street when he insulted the President.
He was heard by the complainant, a police officer, shouting that Mnangagwa was failing to run the country.
Dangirwa allegedly went on to say Mnangagwa will lose the elections.
The court further heard that the complainant identified himself as a police officer and ordered the accused to stop insulting the President.
It is alleged that Dangirwa became violent and slapped the police officer.
Dangirwa allegedly continued pursuing the police officer saying: “wakajaidzwa munhu waMnangagwa (you are too spoiled you Mnangagwa supporter)” while shouting other obscenities.
<h2>Insulting the President</h2>
On Wednesday 30 October 2013 the Constitutional Court ruled on two constitutional matters brought before it challenging the constitutionality of some offensive provisions of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
In one of the cases, a Bulawayo resident, Tendai Danga faced charges of undermining the authority of or insulting President Robert Mugabe in contravention of Section 33 (2) (a) (ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23.
The Constitutional Court struck off the matter from the court roll after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew the charges preferred against Danga.
The NPA was quick to concede that the facts in the original matter did not disclose the offence of insulting the President.
This prompted the then Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba to issue a warning to the NPA to review similar cases and to ensure that only deserving cases were brought to the Constitutional Court.
Malaba said the NPA should desist from prosecuting matters in which statements were uttered in drinking halls and other social places, as the pursuit of such frivolous matters only served to bring disrespect to the Office of the President.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare Man Arrested For Saying Mnangagwa Is A Failure

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

A Zimbabwean security guard was arrested recently for complaining about the high transport fares charged by the sole public transporter, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO).
Nhamo Five, a Chitungwiza resident, blamed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for the high transport cost which amounts ZWL$12.00 from Chitungwiza to Harare.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the 27-year-old security guard appears in court on Friday for insulting the President. The ZLHR said in a statement:
<blockquote>In Zimbabwe, ordinary citizens continue to be targeted for freely expressing themselves and in Chitungwiza Nhamo Five, a security guard is appearing in court after he was arrested for insulting President Mnangagwa after he allegedly complained about high bus fare charges.
Prosecutors allege that the 27-year-old Five, who is represented by Paidamoyo Saurombe of the ZLHR Lawyers complained that the bus fare amounting to RTGS$12 charged from Chitungwiza to Harare is expensive and faulted President Mnangagwa for presiding over mismanagement of the economy.</blockquote>

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