Harare, Zimbabwe – Opposition leader in Parliament, Senator Advocate Sengezo Tshabangu says he will push for the cancellation of journalist Blessed Mhlanga’s passport after the prominent Zimbabwean reporter delivered a stark speech at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy this week.
Tshabangu’s call comes as the government moves to take further action against Mhlanga, a senior journalist widely known for his fearless reporting on human rights and democratic freedoms.
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Mhlanga’s Geneva Speech Sparks Controversy
Blessed Mhlanga, who heads the news department at Heart & Soul TV and hosts the talk show FreeTalk, spoke at the summit in Switzerland about press freedom, repression, and the personal toll of criminalisation in Zimbabwe. His remarks focused on intimidation, harassment, and legal pressures faced by journalists at home.
In his address in Geneva, Mhlanga said he had faced harsh detention and restrictions simply for doing his job:
“In February 2025, the regime arrested me and charged me with transmitting messages likely to incite violence … I was denied bail three times, a violation of our Constitution… Freedom to move or work was taken away from me under bail conditions, crippling my finances.”
Mhlanga also urged international diplomatic engagement to protect human rights and prevent further erosion of democratic space in Zimbabwe.
Tshabangu: “Patriotism Must Be Upheld”
Following the address, Tshabangu said he was moved by Mhlanga’s remarks at the Geneva summit, but strongly disagrees with his tone and implications. He said:
“I listened to Blessed Mhlanga speaking at the Geneva Summit, and I was deeply moved by his remarks. As an opposition politician and a Senator in the Parliament of Zimbabwe, I will raise a motion in the Senate urging the Government to cancel his passport. Patriotism must be upheld.”
Tshabangu argues that Mhlanga’s address abroad painted Zimbabwe in a negative light and could undermine the country’s diplomatic gains.
Government Responds With Legal Threats
The call to revoke Mhlanga’s passport aligns with an already heightened response from the government. Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda issued a statement challenging Mhlanga’s account and defending the state’s record.
Minister Soda said the government took note of the Geneva speech with “grave concern,” framing it as a “desperate attempt to reverse the undeniable diplomatic and economic gains made under the Second Republic’s engagement and re‑engagement agenda.” He added:
“These clauses [under Section 22A of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Act] are not merely symbolic; they are the legal bulwark against the very type of foreign‑aligned activism we witnessed in Geneva.”
Soda described Mhlanga’s speech as a “distorted narrative that flies in the face of reality” and reiterated that Zimbabwe’s laws are designed to defend national sovereignty. He also condemned calls for sanctions, saying such demands would punish ordinary Zimbabweans who have suffered under past “illegal measures.”
Press Freedom Under Pressure
Mhlanga’s case is not isolated. His lengthy pre‑trial detention in 2025, which arose after interviewing Cde Bombshell Blessed Runesu Geza, who openly opposed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his tenure, was on charges of transmitting messages authorities said were likely to incite violence. The detention drew widespread criticism from media rights organisations. He spent more than two months in custody and was eventually granted bail, though his passport was surrendered as part of bail conditions.
Human rights advocates have repeatedly raised alarms over the arbitrary use of legal provisions against journalists. Amnesty International condemned his detention and linked it to a broader pattern of leveraging the criminal justice system to silence the media.
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