Mhlanga, who works for the privately owned Heart and Soul TV, was arrested after responding to a police summons. Authorities had been searching for him since February 17, when three armed men reportedly came to his office. Police later issued a public statement seeking information about his whereabouts.
According to the Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights network, Mhlanga faces two counts of transmitting data messages “inciting violence or damage to property.” The charges stem from interviews conducted in November 2024 and January 2025 with Blessed Geza, a veteran of Zimbabwe’s independence war, who called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation, citing allegations of nepotism, corruption, and economic mismanagement.
“It is absolutely shameful that Blessed Mhlanga has been thrown behind bars simply because he gave voice to a war veteran’s criticism of Zimbabwe’s government,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. “Zimbabwean authorities should free Mhlanga unconditionally and respond to their citizens’ concerns, rather than punishing the messenger.”