KEY POINTS
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Journalist Blessed Mhlanga marks 42 days in pretrial detention.
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Harare Remand Prison’s conditions exacerbate Mhlanga’s health struggles.
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Mhlanga remains determined to continue his fight for press freedom.
Blessed Mhlanga, a journalist with Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), has now spent 42 days in pretrial detention at Harare Remand Prison.
His latest bail application was denied for the third time, once by the High Court of Zimbabwe and twice by the Harare Magistrates Court, prompting him to write another emotional letter from within the prison.
Mhlanga, who is the host of Free Talk on Heart and Soul Television and Radio (HSTV), revealed that he is struggling with a severe flu, worsened by the overcrowded and uncomfortable conditions in the prison.
He has been detained since February 2024 on charges related to his coverage of a press conference involving former Zanu-PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza. Geza had called for the resignation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and criticized the police for their handling of protests. Mhlanga is facing charges under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which criminalizes the transmission of data inciting public violence.
Harsh prison conditions worsen Mhlanga’s health
Mhlanga has been placed in the prison’s D class section, notorious for housing dangerous criminals. In his letter, he expressed the toll the conditions have taken on his health, particularly the sleepless nights caused by the flu.
“As I write from this discomfort of my overcrowded cell, I am suffering from a serious bout of flu which has drained my strength and now threatens my inner peace. Sleep hardly comes as deep thoughts and lice battle for my attention at the most undesirable times,” he wrote. Despite these challenges, Mhlanga remains resolute, vowing not to give up despite the trauma of his imprisonment. “I am in pain, lost and sadly broken… It is not easy to keep going, but I have no choice to quit nor the desire to stop,” he wrote.
Gratitude for support despite brutal conditions
He expressed gratitude for the support he has received from fellow journalists, his legal team, family, and friends, whose solidarity has been crucial in helping him endure the hardship, NewZimbabwe reported.
Mhlanga remains resolute in his commitment to defending the freedoms of others and his profession, even as the state seeks to prolong his imprisonment. He maintains that he will not back down, no matter the consequences.
