Dinginhlalo Moyo, the brother of Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) President Mqondisi Moyo, has been arrested and is expected to appear at Plumtree Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, facing what the party describes as “frivolous and vexatious” charges of insulting Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
According to the MRP, Dinginhlalo Moyo, aged 58, is being charged with undermining the office of the President, a claim the party has dismissed as politically motivated and aimed at suppressing dissent.
The state alleges that Moyo made derogatory remarks against President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu PF party in April 2022 at Silozwi Business Centre in Matobo District.Dinginhlalo Moyo, however, denies the charges.
He was previously remanded out of custody after spending nearly a week detained at Plumtree Prison following his arrest on April 28, 2022. His legal team, led by lawyer Nqobani Sithole, secured his release on bail, citing lack of merit in the state’s case.
In a strongly worded statement, the MRP condemned the manner of his arrest, calling it suspicious and excessive. The party claims that 13 heavily armed state security agents, carrying AK-47 rifles and other weapons, abducted Dinginhlalo Moyo from Plumtree—bypassing the local law enforcement structures that should have handled the case.
“Under normal circumstances, he should have been arrested by officers from Masiye Camp in Lushumbe or from Matopos Police Station, which is responsible for policing Matobo District. Instead, he was taken by heavily armed officers in a clear show of intimidation,” the statement read.
Adding to the controversy, the MRP questioned why Moyo is being tried at Plumtree Magistrates’ Court instead of Khezi District Magistrates’ Court, which has jurisdiction over Matobo District where the alleged incident took place.
“The entire operation and the choice of court are suspicious and clearly intended to harass and frustrate not only Dinginhlalo Moyo but also the leadership and supporters of the Mthwakazi Republic Party,” the party said.
The party further questioned why the case has resurfaced years after the initial arrest, especially when the prosecution had earlier admitted that the case lacked substance.
“After nearly three years, we are left to wonder what new evidence has emerged to justify this legal persecution,” read the statement.
MRP linked the renewed legal action to earlier threats made by President Mnangagwa against the party and the broader Mthwakazi movement. The party referenced a 2022 speech in which President Mnangagwa allegedly threatened MRP members and supporters, calling it a continuation of state-sponsored repression against the Mthwakazi people.
Dinginhlalo Moyo to appear in Plumtree Court amid politically charged allegations
“This is not the behavior of a ‘listening president’ as he claimed to be after taking power in November 2017,” the MRP said. “Instead, he has demonstrated that he is unwilling to listen to calls for Mthwakazi self-determination and continues to respond with intimidation.”
The party said it stands firm in its position and that no amount of intimidation will derail its push for the right to self-determination.
“An injury to one of us is an injury to all of us. Nothing for us without us. We will continue to demand justice, dignity, and autonomy for our people,” said the statement.
The MRP has called on its members and supporters to attend the court session in Plumtree tomorrow in a show of solidarity for Dinginhlalo Moyo. They described the hearing as a test of resilience and a symbol of their ongoing struggle for political freedom and regional autonomy.
“We urge all MRP members to come in their numbers to the Plumtree Magistrates’ Court to offer support—spiritually, morally, and physically—to our comrade Dinginhlalo Moyo. Let us remind the regime that we are united and unshaken.”
The party concluded by reaffirming its commitment to peaceful advocacy for the rights of Mthwakazi people and called for an end to what it described as “politically motivated harassment” of its members.
Source- Bulawayo24
