Outcry as Chiredzi man spends second night in prison over viral Mnangagwa, Chivayo criticism

A Chiredzi man arrested on allegations of incitement to commit public violence following a viral video in which he criticised President Emmerson Mnangagwa and businessman Wicknell Chivayo spent a second night behind bars Wednesday after failing to secure bail.

Tafadzwa Nelston Matanhuse, 32, remained in custody after the Chiredzi Magistrates Court scheduled his bail ruling bail to Thursday afternoon.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which is representing Matanhuse, said he appeared before the Chiredzi Magistrates Court on Wednesday where his bail application was heard.

“In Chiredzi, 32-year-old Nelton Matanhuse is spending his second night in detention awaiting the Chiredzi Magistrates Court’s decision on his bail application following his arrest on Tuesday,” the rights group said in a statement.

The arrest followed the circulation of a video in which Matanhuse accused Mnangagwa and Chivayo of being responsible for the demolition of vendors’ stalls in Chiredzi, an operation he said had deprived many families of their livelihoods and left them facing hunger.

In the video, Matanhuse referred to Mnangagwa and Chivayo as “dogs” and accused them of being selfish and indifferent to the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans.

He further criticised Chivayo’s high-profile donations of luxury vehicles, saying the wealthy continued to benefit while struggling citizens were left to fend for themselves.

Matanhuse also claimed that the President would no longer prioritise the welfare of citizens after Parliament approved legislation extending the terms of office for local authorities and aligning elections to 2030.

His arrest has drawn criticism from rights activists and opposition figures.

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson and lawyer Fadzayi Mahere blasted the arrest, describing it as further evidence of a government hostile to poor citizens.

“The despicable arrest of Tafadzwa Matanhuse tells us everything we need to know about this Government. They are anti-poor, anti-progress and anti-people,” Mahere said.

She argued that authorities had criminalised criticism after destroying people’s livelihoods and accused the government of using a “bogus charge” to silence dissent.

Meanwhile, Chiredzi Central legislator Ropafadzo Makumire said dozens of vendors packed the courtroom during Matanhuse’s bail hearing in a show of solidarity.

“We stand in solidarity with him because we believe he was raising concerns about the impact of the demolitions on vendors and their families,” Makumire said.

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