Faith Zaba arrested over satirical article attacking Mnangagwa

Faith Zaba, the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a satirical article published in the weekly newspaper, reigniting deep concerns over the state of press freedom under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration.

Zaba is expected to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court this morning at 9am, facing charges of "undermining the authority or insulting the President" under Zimbabwe's controversial criminal law provisions.

According to her lawyer, Chris Mhike, the charges stem from a Muckraker column — a well-known satirical feature - published last Friday.

"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," Mhike said in a statement. "After recording a warned and cautioned statement, police insisted on detaining her overnight, despite medical confirmation of her current severe illness."

Earlier in the day, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) Law and Order division made two failed attempts to apprehend Zaba at the offices of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), which publishes the Zimbabwe Independent. She later voluntarily surrendered herself to police, accompanied by her legal counsel and AMH's in-house lawyer, Tatenda Chikohora.

Her arrest comes just weeks after AMH's head of news at HStv, Blessed Mhlanga, was released on May 6 following 72 days in pretrial detention. Mhlanga was arrested for covering press briefings by expelled Zanu PF central committee member Blessed Geza, who had publicly called for Mnangagwa's resignation over corruption and nepotism allegations.

Press freedom watchdogs and rights groups have condemned Zaba's arrest as part of a broader crackdown on dissent, accusing the government of weaponising the law to silence critics.

"This is yet another attack on independent journalism in Zimbabwe," said a representative from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). "The repeated arrests of journalists like Zaba and Mhlanga show a disturbing pattern of intimidation and suppression."

President Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 following a military-assisted ouster of Robert Mugabe, promised democratic reforms and media openness. However, critics say his rule has grown increasingly authoritarian, with mounting arrests of opposition activists, journalists, and civil society leaders.

"He promised a new kind of democracy," said one observer. "Instead, the old habits of repression have only intensified - and in some cases, worsened."

The satirical Muckraker column, long a thorn in the side of Zimbabwe's political elite, is known for its witty, sharp-tongued critiques of national leaders. While intended as humour and political commentary, it has increasingly drawn the ire of authorities in recent years.

Zaba's arrest is likely to draw international scrutiny and amplify calls for legal reforms to protect journalistic work in Zimbabwe. Her case is expected to be closely followed by media watchdogs, opposition politicians, and the diplomatic community.