JOURNALISM IS NOT TERRORISM: WHY BLESSED MHLANGA’S BAIL IS NO VICTORY

In Zimbabwe, something is very wrong. The government says it respects democracy and freedom, but the actions of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime tell a different story. It is clear that under his leadership, the country is moving further and further away from real freedom. His government does not tolerate different opinions, and it punishes people who try to speak the truth.

One clear example is the case of Blessed Mhlanga. He is a journalist who was arrested simply for doing his job. He spent 72 days in prison. His crime? He did an interview with a war veteran and ZANU PF member who criticised Mnangagwa and said he must resign. That’s it. Mhlanga did not hurt anyone. He did not break any laws. He just gave a platform to someone with a different opinion. In most countries, that is called journalism. In Zimbabwe, they call it a crime.

They even used the Counter-Terrorism Unit to investigate him. That shows just how far the government is willing to go. How can a journalist be treated like a terrorist? This shows that the regime is afraid of truth. It wants everyone to be silent and only speak what it allows.

When Mhlanga was finally given bail on 6 May 2025, some people celebrated. But let us be clear: this is not a victory. Bail is not freedom. The charges are still there. He still has to go back to court. And the government has already succeeded in its goal — to scare other journalists. To tell them: “If you speak the truth, this will happen to you too.”

The timing of the bail is also strange. It came just three days after World Press Freedom Day. Is that a coincidence? Or is it because the government was feeling pressure from civil society and the international community? The courts had refused to give him bail two times before. What changed? Nothing really. The facts were always the same. So why the delay? The truth is, the legal system in Zimbabwe does not work for the people. It works for those in power.

In a normal country, bail is not a big deal. It is a right. But in Zimbabwe, people are forced to celebrate bail like it is a gift from the president. This is not how a democracy is supposed to work. Rights are not supposed to be rewards.

Mhlanga’s arrest is not the only one. Many other journalists, activists, and ordinary people have faced the same thing. Some are beaten. Some are arrested. Some are followed. All because they speak the truth. The regime uses laws like the Patriotic Act and the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act to silence voices. They use legal language to cover up what is clearly abuse of power.

There is something else that must be said. Back in 2017, when Mnangagwa was fighting for power, it was independent journalists who gave him a voice. They helped him tell his side of the story when Mugabe pushed him out. Now that he is in power, he wants to destroy the same media that helped him. That is betrayal.

So yes, Mhlanga is out of jail, but the fight is not over. He is still not free. The charges must be dropped. And all journalists must be allowed to work without fear. Journalism is not a crime. It is not terrorism. It is a service to the people.

We must keep speaking. We must keep pushing. We must never forget: bail is not justice. Freedom is not just the absence of prison — it is the presence of rights.

As Zimbabweans, we must stand strong and say: enough is enough. The time for fear is over. The time for truth is now.