Association
Zimbabwean activist killed in targeted attack in South Africa
On 7th February 2026, Kudzai Weston Saruwaka, a Zimbabwean political activist was shot dead in Mabopane, Pretoria, South Africa. His killing occurred just one day after the death of Blessed Runesu Geza, the late war veteran and former ZANU-PF Central Committee member who had been living in exile and had succumbed to cancer. Geza had been advocating for political change in Zimbabwe, calls that Saruwaka publicly supported.
Saruwaka’s death was confirmed on social media by his elder brother, former opposition Member of Parliament Trevor Saruwaka, who described the incident as a political assassination and referred to his brother as a martyr for Zimbabwe’s freedom.
Saruwaka operated a small online business selling branded door rugs and carpets. According to reports, in November 2025 he received several suspicious cash payments from an unidentified individual who made an order from his business but failed to provide location details for delivery. After reporting the matter to police without progress, the individual allegedly re-established contact in late January 2026 and provided a remote delivery address in a bushy area near Mabopane, Pretoria. As Saruwaka approached the location by Uber, he was reportedly directed further into a secluded area where gunmen emerged and opened fire killing both him and the driver.
Saruwaka had fled Zimbabwe in October 2025 after receiving warnings that he was being targeted because of his activism, his association with Geza and outspoken criticism of ZANU-PF’s 2030 agenda, which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term in office to 2030, beyond his constitutionally mandated 2028 exit. His killing sparked outrage, with activists and relatives alleging that it was politically motivated and possibly orchestrated in retaliation for his activism. Zimbabwe’s government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana strongly denied any government involvement, instead pointing to high rates of violent crime in South Africa and urging authorities there to conduct a full investigation.
Expression
Journalist arrested and charged under Cybercrime Law
On 4th February 2026, Pellagia Mupurwa, a journalist with Zimbo Live, was arrested in Harare and charged under Zimbabwe’s Cyber and Data Protection Act, which criminalises the transmission of “false data messages intended to cause harm” and carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.
The charges arose from an interview Pellagia conducted with residents in the Budiriro suburb regarding a local property dispute. During the interview, residents alleged that businessman Steven Mutumhe also known as Changamira, had forcibly taken ownership of a property belonging to a Harare resident. Mupurwa reportedly made several attempts to contact Mutumhe to obtain his response to balance the story, but these efforts were either unsuccessful or disputed. Following threats from law enforcement, Zimbo Live removed the article from its website. Authorities alleged that by publishing the interview, Mupurwa had transmitted false information capable of harming the reputation of individuals linked to the dispute.
Zimbo Live later issued a statement apologising for any distress caused and for circulating the interview without Mutumhe’s response. On 6th February 2026, the Harare Magistrates’ Court withdrew the charges after Mutumhe filed an affidavit retracting his complaint, which was submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority. Prosecutors confirmed there was no basis to proceed.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) defended Pellagia Mupurwa, emphasising that interviewing communities and reporting their views is a core journalistic function. The International Press Institute (IPI) welcomed the withdrawal of charges but stressed that the use of cybercrime laws in such cases poses serious risks to press freedom.
Journalist detained over investigative reporting
On 18th February 2026, Gideon Madzikatidze, a journalist working with the online news platform Bulawayo24, was arrested in Harare and held in pre-trial detention. He was charged under the Broadcasting Services Act for allegedly providing a broadcasting service without a licence and also under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for cyberbullying. The charges stemed from an article he published on Bulawayo24 between 15th and 16th December 2025 in which he accused the leadership of Geo-Pomona Waste Management Company of bribing journalists and editors to avoid public scrutiny. Prosecutors alleged that the article was disseminated without the required broadcasting licence and that its contents were intended to intimidate and harass the company.
Madzikatidze appeared in the Harare Magistrates’ Court on 20th February 2026 and was remanded in custody until 23rd February 2026 ahead of a bail hearing, as the state continued to oppose his bail.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Zimbabwean authorities to release Madzikatidze, and condemned the arrest and charges as an attack on press freedom.