The arrest and subsequent laying of incitement of public violence criminal charges on award winning journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono yesterday has roundly been castigated by the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition MDC Alliance which contends that the outspoken scribe is being persecuted for exposing the criminal tendencies of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF Government.

In a statement this morning, national spokesperson for the MDC-A, Stephen Chuma, said the exposure by Chin’ono, of Mnangagwa’s ‘clansmen’ such as dismissed former Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo is not, in any way whatsoever, related to incitement of public violence.

“Exposure of stinking corruption of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s clansmen like Obadiah Moyo who looted Covid-19 funds by investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono must never be regarded as an incitement of public violence,” China wrote

“Neither is amplifying the voice of citizens against corruption as was done by our Vice National Chairman, Hon Job Sikhala and Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume be regarded as an incitement of anarchy,” he said.

According to the MDC-A national youth assembly publicist, ‘the worst anarchists and drivers of incitement of public violence are those that harbour corrupt government officials’.

Chuma further said the impending July 31 public protests over the unchecked excesses of the Harare administration which have plunged the country into further economic decay, belong to the generality of hard-pressed Zimbabweans and not individuals.

“What Sikhala, Ngarivhume and Chin’ono have done or said is exactly what the ordinary citizens in streets are saying. Emmerson Mnangagwa and his clansmen disguised as government officials have bled our country dry due to corruption! 31 July is not about individuals but every suffering Zimbabwean against corruption. Corruption is ravaging our lives, hence its drivers must fall!” he charged.

On Monday, the police launched a blitzkrieg on opposition activists in the capital as the planned street protests continue to gain momentum in the southern African nation.

Zwnews