HARARE – Blessed Mhlanga, a senior reporter for Alpha Media Holdings’ HStv, who interviewed conflict veteran and Zanu PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza, has been arrested and charged with incitement.
Mhlanga turned himself in to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Law and Order division at Harare Central Police Station.
The arrest follows a public enchantment by ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi for help in finding Mhlanga, who was needed for allegedly violating the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Mhlanga had beforehand acknowledged he was unable to report back to the police as a consequence of sickness.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Mhlanga faces two counts of violating Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, particularly for allegedly transmitting information messages that incite violence.
These prices stem from statements reportedly made by Geza, a liberation conflict veteran, on January 27 and February 11, 2025.
During questioning, ZRP officers interrogated Mhlanga about HStv’s operations and press conferences reportedly addressed by Geza.
The police are additionally in search of Geza, who’s accused of undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s authority by calling for his resignation.
Mhlanga, represented by Chris Mhike of ZLHR, is being detained in a single day at Harare Central Police Station and is predicted to seem in court docket on Tuesday.
The arrest has drawn sturdy condemnation from observers.
Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono described the detention as a “cowardly act” and an indication of a “regime that lacks confidence in its mandate,” asserting that Mhlanga just isn’t a flight danger.
“The detention of Blessed Mhlanga is a cowardly act by the Zimbabwean authorities. Blessed just isn’t a flight danger, but the jackboot ways used previously are getting used once more.
“Arresting journalists for working towards journalism is a transparent signal of a regime that lacks confidence in its mandate!
“It is clear that the side shows that have been created against Blessed and other journalists by well known covert Zanu-PF social media influencers are deliberate so that we don’t talk about this issue,” Chin’ono mentioned.
Alpha Media Holdings writer Trevor Ncube condemned the arrest, stating that Mhlanga is being “punished” for his journalistic work, particularly for HStv’s broadcast of an interview with Blessed Geza.
Ncube characterised Mhlanga as a “principled and courageous journalist” and denounced the arrest as “brazen harassment and intimidation.”
“I condemn within the strongest phrases the arrest and detention of Blessed Mhlanga right this moment.
“Dhara is spending the evening in police custody accused of ‘Transmission of data message inciting violence or damage to property.’ This follows HStv News broadcast of an interview with Blessed Geza.
“This is punishing Dhara for doing his work as a journalist. Dhara is a principled and courageous journalist who will not be broken by this brazen harassment and intimidation,” Ncube acknowledged.
Geza has been vocal in his criticism of the plan to increase Mnangagwa’s time period of workplace past the constitutionally mandated two-term restrict. The police are saying that the adorned conflict veteran is at massive.
