The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe has condemned the arrest and denial of bail of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) journalist Blessed Mhlanga, calling on Harare authorities to uphold the fundamental right to press freedom.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, the U.S. Embassy said that all journalists should be granted constitutional protections, including the right to bail and freedom of speech. The embassy said:
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Constitutional rights to bail and free speech, should apply to all journalists.
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Mhlanga was arrested on Monday for allegedly sharing information that could incite violence or damage property. He is facing charges under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
On Friday, a Harare magistrate, Farai Gwitima, denied Mhlanga bail, saying he might interfere with witnesses and harm the investigation.
The charges against Mhlanga are related to interviews he reportedly had with Blessed Geza, a war veteran from the ruling ZANU PF party, who opposes President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2030 agenda.
The police are searching for Geza to answer charges of incitement, undermining the President’s authority, and theft.
Geza has publicly called for Mnangagwa to resign, accusing him of corruption, poor leadership, favouritism, and rewarding friends and family.

Pindula News

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe is angry because a journalist named Blessed Mhlanga was arrested and not given bail. They say all journalists should have the right to bail and free speech. Mhlanga was arrested for sharing information that could cause violence. When he asked for bail, the judge said no because he might interfere with the investigation. The charges are about interviews Mhlanga had with a man who opposes the President. The police are looking for that man to arrest him. The man wants the President to resign because he says he is corrupt and not a good leader.

US Embassy Condemns Arrest Of Journalist Blessed Mhlanga

The United States of America’s most senior diplomat in Zimbabwe, Elaine French, has said her country is the biggest bilateral donor in Zimbabwe and has provided nearly US$5 billion to the southern African country since 1980.
Speaking in <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/zim-free-to-trade-with-the-us/">an interview</a> with AB Communications Editor-in-Chief Moses Matenga on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), French, the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe also said this year, the United States has recommitted the PEPFAR programme with US$209 to support the government of Zimbabwe.
The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a critical initiative aimed at saving lives, preventing HIV infections, and accelerating progress toward achieving HIV/AIDS pandemic control in more than 50 countries worldwide. Said French:
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I am so proud of the work the US has done especially in the health sector here in Zimbabwe. The United States is actually the biggest bilateral donor in Zimbabwe in particular in the health sector.
Since 1980, the United States has provided nearly US$5bn to the people of Zimbabwe and the vast majority of that has been in health-related issues.
In 1980, at independence, the US made a promise to the people of Zimbabwe to help rebuild the health sector.
That commitment initially was for US$2mn but that US$2mn has actually grown to nearly US$5bn in the last four decades plus.
I think some people might feel that it has diminished in the last years but actually it has since grown. In the last three years alone we have provided a billion dollars to the people of Zimbabwe.
This year we have recommitted the PEPFAR programme with US$209 to support the government of Zimbabwe in terms of addressing and combating the HIV epidemic and this is to support over two million Zimbabweans to live healthier longer lives by provision of Antiretroviral Therapy.
We are not just working in the HIV sphere, we are also giving out support to the Ministry of Health and the government in terms of tackling Tuberculosis and Malaria.
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French also revealed that the U.S. has committed an additional US$11 to assist Zimbabwe to mitigate the effects of the El-induced drought. She said:
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It’s a serious issue and I know it is a serious one for many Zimbabweans. It is not only a serious issue for Zimbabweans but the region as well.
In January, the US committed an additional US$11mn in assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in the country to help them better survive in this difficult period.
That’s an addition to the US$115mn the United States provided in the last five years in the agriculture and food security sectors.
As I mentioned earlier, drought is affecting the entire region and the recent drought declaration by the President, it helps us to look at Zimbabwe and its neighbours and look at how the United States will respond comprehensively to the region.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate has confirmed Pamela Marie Tremont as the country’s new ambassador to Zimbabwe in a Senate vote.
The U.S. has not had an ambassador to Zimbabwe since 2021, when its previous ambassador, Brian Nichols, was reassigned.
The US Embassy in Harare has been overseen by Chargé d’Affaires French since 2022.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"United States Is Zimbabwe's Biggest Bilateral Donor"

An unnamed diplomat from the United States Embassy, Harare, reportedly visited the ruling ZANU PF party last week to pledge Washington’s support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
According to ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, the American government official visited the party’s offices and said the US will no longer back the opposition against the ruling party.
Mutsvangwa made the claim while addressing a ZANU PF Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Chinhoyi on Sunday. <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/us-diplomat-visits-zanu-pf-to-pledge-washingtons-support-for-mnangagwa-claims-mutsvangwa/">NewZimbabwe.com</a> quoted Mutsvangwa as saying:
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Let me tell you that three days ago, for the very first time, a top diplomat who was representing the Ambassador, who is yet to come, came to our ZANU PF party offices.
The diplomat said we have come because you are faced with elections, so we want to assure you that we have dug a hole in the ground and spat to say never again shall we side with only one party … this time around, all of your parties are equal.
America will accept the outcome of the 2023 harmonised elections expected to be held in a free and fair environment.
We as ZANU PF have maintained we are friends to all and enemies to none.
</blockquote>
Relations between the ZANU PF-led government and the United States became strained at the turn of the Millenium after Harare embarked on the fast-track land reform programme.

US Diplomat Visits ZANU PF And Pledges Washington's Support For ED, Claims Mutsvangwa

The Collective Students Union (CSU) has claimed that the United States Embassy in Harare persuaded its members to protest against the government.
CSU which is said to be an amalgamation of major students’ unions in the country – ZINASU and ZICOSU, says members were, in turn, to be given visas to travel to America and scholarships
Representing the Collective Students Union during a press conference in Harare this Tuesday, Kumbirai Mutengu said:
<blockquote>We would like to share this information based on an encounter that one of us here has had with the American embassy. Let it be known that there is a student desk from which Zimbabweans are employed by the US embassy to coordinate programmes together with some black foreigners whom you can’t even suspect that they are foreigners.
At one point some of us were invited to the embassy and given a mission to stage a series of demonstrations that are meant to provoke security forces to react and result in clashes that will paint Zimbabwe as an unstable nation which is in deep crisis. In return for this, we have been promised visas to travel to America and scholarships.</blockquote>
This is happening when state security officers have been accused of kidnapping, torturing and brutalising the citizenry, mainly, government critics who include opposition activists, human rights defenders and journalists.
Authorities dismiss the reports of human rights violations saying they are fabricated by enemies of the state who wish to soil the image of the state.
More: <a href="https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/student-unions-castigate-capture/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ZBC News</a>

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