Amos Chibaya acquitted of incitement charges

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Amos Chibaya has been acquitted of politically motivated charges of incitement to violence, in a ruling widely welcomed by his party and human rights defenders.

Chibaya, a prominent opposition figure and long-serving party organiser, had spent over a month in pre-trial detention after being arrested on 25 June 2024, following a fiery public condemnation of the state's continued denial of bail to fellow CCC members, including Senator Jameson Timba.

The state accused Chibaya of inciting violence during a gathering outside the Harare Magistrates' Court, where 77 CCC activists - including Timba - had been remanded in custody. Prosecutors alleged that Chibaya stirred the crowd into potential civil unrest through inflammatory remarks, claiming he implied that the Zanu-PF-led government had stolen the 2023 elections and was suppressing citizens' freedoms.

Specifically, Chibaya was said to have declared:
"Chi regime chinotya vanhu, chikaona vanhu chinobvunda, Havana kuhwina ma elections, togona kufuma tavakutonga. Zimbabwe haisi yeZanu-PF, Zimbabwe is not a Mnangagwa Dynasty zvekumbunyikidza vanhu zvinofanira kupera."

Loosely translated, Chibaya was alleged to have denounced President Mnangagwa's government, accusing it of electoral fraud and predicting its imminent loss of power to the opposition.

Prosecutors further claimed that his words encouraged others in attendance to respond with declarations such as "tichavatora nechisimba, eheeee" - suggesting a violent rescue of those in custody.

However, the court found that the evidence presented failed to meet the threshold for incitement, with the presiding magistrate ruling that Chibaya's statements, while politically charged, fell within the bounds of free speech and political expression protected under Zimbabwean law.

The CCC has consistently maintained that Chibaya's arrest was baseless and part of a broader campaign of intimidation against dissenting voices.

"He should never have been arrested to begin with," the party said in a brief statement following the verdict. "This is a clear case of political persecution."

Chibaya's acquittal comes at a time of heightened political tension in Zimbabwe, as opposition parties and civil society continue to raise alarms over shrinking democratic space and the targeting of activists.

As he walked free on Tuesday, Chibaya thanked supporters who stood by him and reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for justice and democratic rights in Zimbabwe. "We will not be silenced," he said. "Our voices will only grow louder."