The arrest and overnight detention of Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba for criticism in a satirical column – which insinuated President Emmerson Mnangagwa is “head of a mafia state” – further highlights growing concerns about the increasingly shrinking media freedom in the country amid resurgent authoritarian political repression and control.
The incarceration of Zaba is part of a wider crackdown on dissent across society as Mnangagwa pushes to extend his rule beyond his 2028 second term constitutional limit to 2030.
Zaba was arrested for allegedly “undermining the authority” of the President.
Yesterday’s incident – which comes soon after the recent long detention of Zaba’s colleague Blessed Mhlanga – signals a restrictive environment for free expression and press freedom, sparking debate and concern about the limits of satire and critique in the country.
Mhlanga was released in May after 73 days in jail for airing war veterans’ vicious attacks on Mnangagwa, accusing him of leadership failure, corruption, incompetence, nepotism and tribal patronage.
Earlier yesterday, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department’s Law and Order section twice tried to arrest Zaba who works for Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), which publishes the Zimbabwe Independent, The NewsDay, The Standard and runs online TV and radio station Heart & Soul.
AMH, one of the biggest media houses in Zimbabwe, is owned by local publisher Trevor Ncube and, ironically, Mnangagwa’s son-in-law Gerald Mlotshwa.
Ncube, who had a good track record in the independent media before joining the Zanu PF regime in 2019 as part of Mnangagwa’s Presidential Advisory Council and publicist, has himself been a victim of arrest before.
He has now quit Mnangagwa’s publicity panel and gone back to the trenches, but while still working with his close family member.
Zaba, a veteran journalist who has worked in the independent media for a long time and ran stories exposing corruption and government failures, surrendered herself to the police accompanied by her lawyer Tatenda Chikohora.
Chris Mhike, another AMH lawyer, said in a statement:
“Senior journalist and Editor of Zimbabwe Independent, Faith Zaba, was arrested by the ZRP yesterday on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting the President.
“After recording a warned and cautioned statement, police insisted on detaining her overnight, despite medical confirmation of her current severe illness.”
Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum chairman Dumisani Muleya said Zaba’s arrest for merely doing her job properly was “reprehensible” and “unacceptable”.
“The arrest of our colleague Faith Zaba for ‘undermining the authority of the President’ is reprehensible, objectionable and deeply concerning.
When journalists are even arrested for satirical columns and quotidian or mundane criticism of those in power, it raises serious questions about press freedom, the rule of law and governance under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. It becomes clear to all and sundry media is under renewed attack.
Satire, which is a valuable tool for holding power to account and promoting public discourse, is not a crime. It has long been a legitimate form of political expression for centuries.
Satirical journalism or writing – muckraking – is part of free speech or freedom of expression, thus can’t be criminalised without understanding fundamental liberties.
Besides, Zaba is not well and so detaining her in this chilly winter weather on such flimsy charges is evidently insensitive, callous and needless.
“We have long said these sort of repressive actions don’t help anyone at all: They don’t help Mnangagwa, his government or the people, let alone journalists.
“Instead, this further damages government’s reputation which is already battered anyway.
Such actions clearly have a chilling effect on the media; undermining the ability of journalists to report freely, critically and hold those in power accountable.
It’s essential for authorities to respect and protect the rights of journalists guaranteed by the constitution to ensure free and independent reporting in the public interest.”
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (Zuj) said:
“The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists condemns strongly the arrest and detention of Faith Zaba, Zimbabwe Independent Editor by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
“Zaba was arrested over a satirical Muckraker column published last Friday in the Zimbabwe Independent, which authorities claim ‘undermined the authority’ of the President.
“As a union, we are deeply disturbed by criminalisation of journalism over editorial content that falls squarely within the boundaries of journalistic expression and satire.
“Satirical commentary, whether critical or humorous, is protected speech and should not be criminalised.
“What makes this incident more concerning is that it comes in the wake of the recently launched Media Policy by His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a policy which pledges to promote an open, tolerant, and free media environment.
“Zaba’s arrest and treatment runs counter to the spirit and commitments of this policy, and risks undermining confidence in the government’s professed reform agenda.
“Zuj is also alarmed by reports that Zaba, who is suffering from a serious illness, was detained overnight despite medical confirmation of her condition.
“This raises grave concerns about her health, safety, and the proportionality of the actions taken by law enforcement. We therefore demand the immediate and unconditional release of Zaba.”
Since taking power in a coup in 2017, Mnangagwa’s administration, which initially branded itself as representing a “new dispensation” and breaking with the ugly past under the late former president Robert Mugabe, has been arbitrarily arresting and prosecuting critics, including journalists, on baseless charges.
Pretrial detention has been used to punish journalists, critics and civil society and political activists.
Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was also arrested and detained for a long time in 2020 and 2021.
Other journalists, including those from The NewsHawks, have been hounded for stories and even forced out of their homes and out of the country.
Independent reporters face many challenges, common among them harassment, intimidation, and arrests.
Despite initial hopes for reform, the government’s treatment of journalists has raised grave concerns about press freedom and democracy in Zimbabwe.
These challenges highlight the need for morw improved press freedom and protection for journalists.
Zimbabwe’s criminal justice system has repeatedly violated due process and fair trial rights of those arrested on politically motivated grounds, often unjustly detaining them for prolonged and arbitrary periods.
Newshawks
