Fadzayi Mahere Under Fire for Stifling Free Speech And Trolling on Social Media

Fadzayi Mahere
Spread the love

HARARE – Opposition figure and lawyer Fadzayi Mahere has sparked a heated online debate after telling Shacky Timburwa, Member of Parliament for Chegutu West, and entrepreneur Mudiwa Ian Mtandwa, popularly known as MudiwaHood, that they should refrain from publicly expressing their views.

Mahere’s comments, made on Twitter, were met with backlash, with critics accusing her of attempting to stifle free speech. Timburwa, an elected MP, and MudiwaHood, a well-known entrepreneur and social media personality, are both prominent figures in Zimbabwe’s public discourse.

Mahere’s actions come amid ongoing scrutiny of her public and professional life. Recently, Justice Mathonsi reportedly referred to Mahere as a “Humpty Dumpty lawyer,” a statement that has been widely circulated and remains part of the public record.

Adding to the controversy, Mahere has faced criticism for her past attempts to advocate for international causes, such as assisting Australians during forest fires, while some argue she neglects pressing domestic issues.

Critics have highlighted these incidents as indicative of what they see as a pattern of misplaced priorities and controversial engagements.

Mahere’s criticism also follows an incident involving Nyembesi, a fellow political figure, who fled Parliament under undisclosed circumstances. Observers have drawn parallels between the two, pointing to what they describe as a lack of resilience among opposition functionaries.

Mahere, a vocal opponent of Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party, has been a polarising figure in the country’s political landscape. While her supporters applaud her for speaking out against corruption and governance issues, her detractors argue that her confrontational style undermines her credibility.


The controversy over her recent Twitter comments has reignited debate about the role of public figures in Zimbabwe’s political and social discourse, particularly regarding their responsibility to foster dialogue rather than division.

Mahere also launched a sharp ‘shark-attack’ at Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former government minister now living in exile, accusing him of meddling in Zimbabwean politics from abroad.

“If you are that ‘exiled’ political leader trying to bark instructions from a hole and tell people how they can attain power when you cannot even attain entry into the republic, no political dividend will come out of this for you. Never,” Mahere wrote on Twitter.

She dismissed Moyo’s influence as inconsequential, describing his commentary as “comical noise” and accusing him of attempting to manipulate political actors for his own gain.

“All you are is comical noise trying to attribute views of ordinary citizens to someone who is not responsible for them, who is minding their business and enjoying their holiday. If you think you can pull the strings here and make real political actors your puppets, forget it!” Mahere declared.

As Zimbabwe continues to grapple with political and social tensions, the incident underscores the challenges of balancing robust political debate with mutual respect in the public sphere.