Zimbabwe police set free Ward 12 Councillor Ishmael Maukazuva after he spent two days behind bars. The police had locked him up because they claimed he shared a video that made fun of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. They arrested him Wednesday after he allegedly sent a TikTok clip to the Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers group chat on WhatsApp. Attorney Paida Saurombe from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights stood by his side during this ordeal.
The video at the center of all this mess showed a woman blasting President Mnangagwa for running the economy into the ground. She said mean things about both the president and his political party, ZANU PF. But just today, March 14, 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority decided to drop all charges against Maukazuva. They admitted they jumped the gun by not first getting proper permission from the Prosecutor-General to go after someone from an opposition party.
The prosecutors had claimed Maukazuva broke the law when he shared that TikTok video containing harsh words about the president. The mystery woman in the video blamed Mnangagwa for causing hardships for regular Zimbabweans. She even called for him to quit his job and let someone younger take over leadership of the country. These statements apparently upset government officials enough to arrest the councilor just for sharing them.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition figures. Many similar cases happen when people criticize the government through social media platforms. Freedom of speech remains a contested issue in Zimbabwe, where sharing political content can lead to serious legal trouble. Maukazuva returns home today after what must have felt like a very long forty-eight hours in police custody.
The video at the center of all this mess showed a woman blasting President Mnangagwa for running the economy into the ground. She said mean things about both the president and his political party, ZANU PF. But just today, March 14, 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority decided to drop all charges against Maukazuva. They admitted they jumped the gun by not first getting proper permission from the Prosecutor-General to go after someone from an opposition party.
The prosecutors had claimed Maukazuva broke the law when he shared that TikTok video containing harsh words about the president. The mystery woman in the video blamed Mnangagwa for causing hardships for regular Zimbabweans. She even called for him to quit his job and let someone younger take over leadership of the country. These statements apparently upset government officials enough to arrest the councilor just for sharing them.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition figures. Many similar cases happen when people criticize the government through social media platforms. Freedom of speech remains a contested issue in Zimbabwe, where sharing political content can lead to serious legal trouble. Maukazuva returns home today after what must have felt like a very long forty-eight hours in police custody.
