Human Rights Watch’s southern African director Dewa
Mavhinga, who said he had spoken to Chiwenga from his hideout, raised the alarm
in a statement yesterday.
“(On Friday), Apostle Chiwenga told me by phone that he
believes the Zimbabwean authorities have dispatched a team of state agents
known as the ‘Ferret team’ to kill him for his activism following several
failed attempts over the last two years,” Mavhinga said.
“Apostle Chiwenga has regularly used street sermons in
Harare and social media platforms to openly rebuke Zimbabwe’s government for
its gross human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, abductions, and
torture of activists, rights defenders, and journalists.
“The Zimbabwean authorities should take steps to ensure the
security and protection of Apostle Chiwenga and other critics of the
government.
“Human rights advocates like Chiwenga should not live in
fear for exercising their fundamental rights to free speech.”
He added: “Four confidential sources in the security sector
separately told me last week that the authorities are unhappy with Chiwenga and
view him as a security threat that should be “neutralised.”
“Three security officers described the ongoing surveillance
of Chiwenga’s Harare church and home by people in unmarked vehicles.”
Chiwenga yesterday told Standard People that he was hiding
out of the country.
This is not the first time that the preacher, who has
established a reputation of attacking government officials, has expressed fears
that his life is in danger.
Chiwenga in July 2020 survived an accident that claimed the
life of his wife and two other people.
In 2020, the preacher wrote to President Emmerson Mnangagwa
begging for a meeting claiming that his life was in danger as he was being
followed by alleged Military Intelligence Department and Central Intelligence
Organisation operatives.
In 2018, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga once warned
Chiwenga against attacking senior government officials under the guise of
religion.
“There are some who now call themselves prophets. There is
this one who is called Talent,” he said.
“Let it end today. Let it end here, now. We don’t have that
way where someone moves around attacking seniors, claiming to be worshiping
God.
“God does not send you to insult others,” the VP said then.
Last year Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe accused the preacher and others
of being part of an “illegal and subversive bandwagon under the control of
certain diplomatic missions”.
Chiwenga came to prominence after a series of pre-elections
predictions where he claimed the election would be rigged and that a number of
senior officials linked to the November 2017 coup would die in quick
succession.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
yesterday said he cannot comment about the preacher’s claims that he was being
hounded until he made a formal police report. Standard
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