On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, nine women were taken into custody for reportedly jeering First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa during her speech at the Watsomba Business Centre in the province of Manicaland.
According to reports, Mnangagwa was giving away freebies as part of her philanthropic activities, but the women had not received any of them.
The nine women were named by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) as follows: Nester Chatiwana, 41 years old; Panashe Machekanzondo, 19 years old; Winnet Sithole, 19 years old; Maria Choto, 49 years old; Esnath Choto, 33 years old; Ellen Rujuwa, 28 years old; Faith Chidhakwa, 30 years old; Patience Matasva, 35 years old; and Joyce Mashingaidza, 29 years old.
Officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) took them into custody at Mutare Central after they were apprehended at Watsomba Business Centre on April 10.
ALSO READ: Father Ordered for Psychiatric Evaluation After Allegedly Biting Off Daughter’s Face
Prior to facing charges of disorderly conduct in a public place under section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, the accused should first appear at the police station.
The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was giving her final remarks when the women seated on the ground got up and began booing her. The State said that this was done to interrupt her speech and express their displeasure at not having heard from her.
The actions of Chatiwana, Machekanzondo, Sithole, Choto, Rujuwa, Chidhakwa, Matasva, and Mashingaidza, according to the prosecution, were illegal, abusive, and derogatory towards Mnangagwa.
Tatenda Sigauke and David Tandiri of ZLHR intervened, and on Friday, April 12, 2024, Mutare Magistrate Prisca Manhibi freed the nine women.
