By A Correspondent| A man from Inyati Alfred Ngonidzashe Machakaire is languishing in prison for close to a month after he was arrested in February and detained for allegedly passing on some unpalatable comments against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and at the same time praising Blessed Runesu Geza, an erstwhile lieutenant of the country’s leader.
Machakaire (34), who resides in Gowo village under Chief Makoni in Inyati in Makoni District in Manicaland province, has spent 24 days in both police cells and at Reshape Prison in Manicaland province after he was arrested on 24 February 2025 by Zimbabwe Republic Police officers, who charged him with undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa as defined in section 33(2)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
According to prosecutors, Machakaire undermined authority of and insulted President Mnangagwa when he was involved in a verbal altercation with Leonard Chidemo, the ruling ZANU PF political party Councillor for Ward 5 in Makoni North constituency in Makoni District in Manicaland, who was drinking beer at Mugadza Bottle Store at Runyange Business Centre in Chendambuya, where he allegedly asked Chidemo to buy him some beer.
Chidemo reportedly told Machakaire that he did not have some money to buy him beer and this did not go down well with him and he started shouting at the ZANU PF political party Councillor.
Prosecutors said Machakaire, who is represented by Leonard Chigadza of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, undermined authority of or insulted President Mnangagwa by uttering the following words; “You Chidemo, down with Mnangagwa, I am Geza, on the 31st, the country will be fine, Mnangagwa is a vagina, you have caused the death of people in the country.”
According to prosecutors, Machakaire acted unlawfully when he allegedly uttered the insulting words and also praised Geza, a veteran of the liberation war and a ZANU PF political party central committee member, who was recently expelled from the ruling political party.
Machakaire is one of several people, who have been arrested and prosecuted across Zimbabwe for allegedly undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.