Explainer: A two thirds majority is not enough to change presidential term limits – a referendum is needed
CLAIM: In fact the CCC 12 in Bulawayo is part of Mnangagwa’s plan – a long shot – to get two thirds of National Assembly seats and amend the constitution to scrap term limits. His internal Zanu PF rivals must share the CCC’s outrage. SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: False @Mathuthu tweeted that the barring of 17 […]
No, the Constitution does not state that a VP succeeds a President
CLAIM: By law, this man was supposed to have legally taken over after Mugabe’s “resignation,” as he was the sole VP, as Mnangagwa had long been fired by RG. SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: False A user on Twitter commenting on former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s presence at a ZANU PF rally claimed that, ‘Former ZanuPF and […]
Explainer: Yes, Raj Modi could also be disqualified, but it’s not as simple as that
Following the High Court in Bulawayo ruling that the 12 Citizens Coalition for Change candidates and 5 others be removed from those who successfully filed their nomination papers, there have been many engagements and debates on the implications of this ruling on other candidates. David Coltart, CCC member and candidate for Ward 4 in Bulawayo, […]
Zimbabwe is neither the most literate state nor the country with the fastest GDP growth – contrary to VP Chiwenga’s claims
VICE–PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga, while addressing Zanu PF supporters in Stoneridge, Harare South constituency, highlighted several achievements that he said have been achieved by the current administration for the past five years it has been in power. The claims were carried by newspapers here and here. These two claims have been made previously by other government […]
Statistics quoted by the Herald actually show that police have blocked more CCC gatherings than ZANU PF
CLAIM: Police block more Zanu PF gatherings than opposition SOURCE: The Herald VERDICT: False The Herald newspaper published a story headlined ‘Police block more Zanu PF gatherings than opposition’ on July 25. The story was also published on Afro Gazette here. The article reported that ‘Police have blocked 86 gatherings of the ruling Zanu PF […]
‘Analyst Richard Stone’ vouching for President Mnangagwa is AI generated
CLAIM: Richard Stone, the Political Analysts (sic) shared his views on the policies spearheaded by the Second Republic for the past 5 years. Give credit where it is due. SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: Misleading A ‘political analyst’ breaks down the successes of President Mnangagwa’s last six years in office in a video on TikTok. He introduces […]
Valerio only woman in 2023 presidential race but not first woman ever
CLAIM: Elisabeth Valerio will be the first female Presidential candidate as she won her appeal against ZEC’s decision to reject her nomination papers. SOURCE: CITE VERDICT: Missing context On 19 July 2023 leader of United Zimbabwe Alliance Elisabeth Valerio won her bid to contest in the 2023 presidential race. A reader asked us to check […]
No, Chamisa did not say land must be returned to white colonial settlers
CLAIM: Chamisa says land must be returned to white colonial settlers. SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: False and Misleading In a tweet following a rally address by Citizens Coalition for Change leader in Gweru on 16 July 2023, a user by the handle @matigary claimed that Nelson Chamisa ‘says land must be returned to white colonial masters’. […]
Yes, just because you are married does not mean you have rights to that property
CLAIM: All marriages in Zimbabwe are out of community of property. You don’t own all property 50/50 just bcoz u r (sic) now married. SOURCE: Social media VERDICT: True Zimbabwe has 3 different types of marriages that a person can choose from – a monogamous civil marriage, a potentially polygamous qualified civil marriage or a […]
Watch out for job hiring scams: ZEC advert is a scam
CLAIM: ZEC is recruiting staff for coming General Election. SOURCE: WhatsApp Groups VERDICT: False Zimbabwe has of late seen an increase in job offer scams. Targeted organisations include the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. In an environment where people are looking for jobs, people tend to share widely any job opportunity, especially from […]
Checking two rally claims on economy by President Mnangagwa
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched his re-election campaigns, starting with a rally in Chipinge on June 24 and another in Bulilima on July 1. At both rallies, President Mnangagwa has told supporters that his government has presided over economic progress. We checked some key claims that he made in his speeches. CLAIM 1: The mining […]
Fact checking Minister Mutsvangwa’s interview: mix of truths, half truths and untruths
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa sat down for an interview with NewzRoom Afrika’s Cathy Mohlahlana. We fact-checked her speech. It didn’t start very well as the minister got her dates wrong. She told Mohlahlane that the interview date was ‘exactly one month before the elections’. This was not true – the election was two months away. […]
Yes, posting nudes without consent can land you in jail
CLAIM: Sharing or broadcasting intimate photographs or videos without the authorisation of the person in question can result in a five-year prison sentence SOURCE: The Herald VERDICT: True On 12 June 2017, the Herald carried a story headlined Posting Nudes now attracts jail term. In that story, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe […]
No evidence that Zimbabwe’s mineral exports hit almost USD10 billion in 2022.
CLAIM: Zimbabwe was able to generate US$9.77 billion in mineral revenue, making it the 10th African country to export the largest volumes of natural resources last year. SOURCE: Daily News Zimbabwe, The Chronicle and Mining Zimbabwe VERDICT: False On 30 May 2023 the Daily News tweeted that ‘despite illegal sanctions, Zimbabwe was able to generate […]
No evidence of a group of Zimbabweans arrested for stealing £200k in Coventry
CLAIM: A group of Zimbabweans has found themselves in handcuffs after allegedly carrying out a daring £200,000 money heist in the United Kingdom (UK). SOURCE: Various Online Media VERDICT: False Zimbabwean online media has been awash with a story of Zimbabweans who allegedly stole £200 000 in Coventry, United Kingdom. The story was first carried […]
EXPLAINER: In an election, 50% plus 1 vote does not equate to 51%
CLAIM: For a candidate to win the presidential race, he/she should get 50 percent of the votes plus 1 (51 percent) of the total votes. SOURCE: Spiked Media VERDICT: Misleading With Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections scheduled for the 23rd of August 2023, a lot of information is going around and citizens are familiarising themselves with the […]
No, Zimbabwe’s “Patriotic Bill” does not outlaw criticism as reported
CLAIM: Zimbabwe has passed a law that outlaws criticism SOURCE: Reuters/Times LIVE VERDICT: False Zimbabwe’s lower House of Parliament on May 31 passed the Criminal Law Code Amendment Bill, which provides for the crime of “wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national”, earning the Bill the moniker “Patriotic Bill”. The Bill has gained widespread local and […]
No, Mr Mzembi, announcing a runoff date is not merely a ‘provision’ but legal requirement that has been followed since 2013
CLAIM: The provision has always been there but never invoked because there was CONFIDENCE Ruling Party Presidential Candidate would make it first round SOURCE: Dr Walter Mzembi on Twitter VERDICT: False Following the proclamation of Zimbabwe’s 2023 election dates on 31 May 2023, former minister Walter Mzembi tweeted that ‘Pronouncing a Runoff date is a […]
Of Elon Musk and ‘his’ AI generated ‘robot wives’
Fancy a soulless wife? Or is it one that doesn’t talk back? Maybe, you do not want to deal with those all too human mood swings. Or you have had enough of heartbreaks already. How much would you be willing to pay for a robot wife? USD3000 as this Twitter user claims here? Or USD3150 […]
Yes, the 27th of May marked the first day that the 2023 election can be proclaimed
CLAIM: With effect from today (Saturday 27), it has become legally possible to proclaim dates for the sitting of the Nomination Court and the election due on any date between 21st and 26th August 2023. SOURCE: Prof Welshman Ncube on Twitter VERDICT: Correct Zimbabweans have been waiting for the proclamation of the election date, with […]
YES, Zimbabwe had over 22 000 inmates in its prisons before latest amnesty
CLAIM: Zimbabwe’s prisons have a holding capacity of 17 000 prisoners but have about 22 000 inmates SOURCE: Times Live VERDICT: TRUE Even though Zimbabwe’s prison facilities have a holding capacity of 17 000, they did hold over 22 000 inmates as mentioned by Times Live, before the latest amnesty. South African newspaper Times Live […]
No, that was not ZANU PF filling in potholes with gravel
CLAIM: This is Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU PF filling potholes with gravel on an urban tarred road SOURCE: Hopewell Chin’ono on Twitter VERDICT: False On 16 May 2023, Hopewell Chino’no tweeted a picture here to his more than 590 thousand followers claiming that a picture he shared was of ZANU PF patching potholes using gravel […]
Phishing alert. Smith Petrix may be a scammer!
A reader requested FactCheckZW to look into the issue of an unknown person with an Italian number who is inboxing people asking to befriend them. The person, who calls himself Smith Petrix, is currently sending a number of people in Zimbabwe a WhatsApp message posing as someone from Italy. Petrix presents himself as a wealthy […]
Yes, amendments to electoral act will bar those with criminal records – but it’s not that simple
CLAIM: A number of sitting opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors and MPs may be barred from contesting the upcoming elections if the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is signed into law SOURCE: Newsday VERDICT: True In a story published by the NewsDay on 12 April 2023, headlined ‘Electoral Bill, bad news for CCC’, a […]
Cowdray Park Health facility funded by GoZ while the UK’s NMS is the contractor
United Kingdom Ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson set the cat among the pigeons in an ambiguous tweet after visiting the Cowdray Park Health facility. On 25 April 2023, she tweeted, “Great visit to a hospital the UK’s NMS is building in Bulawayo, before going to ZITF. Work on the Cowdray Park facility started in 2022, […]
Business environment improved by 19 places under ED presidency, but more needs to be done to achieve ‘conducive business environment’
CLAIM: “I call upon investors to come and take advantage of many opportunities which Zimbabwe has to offer, including the conducive business operating environment prevailing across all sectors of the economy.” @edmnangagwa 13/04/23 SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: False In a tweet quoting the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Information Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, said that Zimbabwe has many […]
Food platter is old photo and not from Zim celebrations
A Twitter user has claimed that this picture is from Zimbabwe’s 43rd independence celebrations. It had gained 22,400 views in less than 4 hours, 46 retweets and 11 quotes. The picture is, however, not from Zimbabwe’s independence celebrations. It has appeared on social media before, especially Facebook, with the caption ‘Limpopo platter’ from as early […]
No, Mr President, Zimbabwe doesn’t have highest GDP growth rate
CLAIM: The notable expansion, productivity and profitability of entities across all sectors of our economy have seen our country recording the highest GDP growth in our region. SOURCE: President Mnangagwa on ZBC VERDICT: False Is Zimbabwe the fastest-growing economy in the region? In an Independence Day speech in Mt Darwin, televised by the national broadcaster […]
ZIMRA job advert is a scam
CLAIM: The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has begin (sic) its 2023/2024 staff recruitment. SOURCE: WhatsApp VERDICT: False A WhatsApp message with a link purporting to be a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority advert has been circulating in recent days. The message is fake, and ZIMRA chairperson, Francis Chimanda has confirmed that the advert and link are a […]
Mahere convicted on a law that has been declared invalid
CLAIM: Zimbabwean lawyer and spokesperson for main opposition party, CCC, … has been fined US$500 after conviction using a law that doesn’t exist, and accused of a crime that doesn’t exist. SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: Partly true CCC Spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere was on April 5 convicted for contravening Section 31(a)(iii) of the Criminal Law and Codification […]
Video is part of a skit, not real event
A video that has sparked anger on social media with a man seen brutally whipping two of his step daughters and making them draw a plough in a field is actually a scene taken off an episode of a local drama series. The video has garnered a lot of attention online, including that of the […]
Yes, 80% of jobs are in the informal economy
CLAIM: Informal economy activity accounts for over 80 percent of jobs in Zimbabwe SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: True In mid-March, VISET claimed, in a tweet, that ‘informal economy activity accounts for over 80 percent of jobs in Zimbabwe’. Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) is a union of informal traders with structures throughout Zimbabwe. […]
No, Cyclone Freddy will not be making a third landfall. It is over.
Claim: Tropical Cyclone Freddy is currently about 1000 kms before Madagascar and is expected to make landfall in Mozambique around Friday 24th then will proceed to Zimbabwe between Friday and Saturday 25th. Source: WhatsApp Verdict: False A message that has been forwarded many times seems to suggest that Cyclone Freddy will be making landfall – […]
No, Ms Masarira, Chisanga Zulu is not a Chivi teacher but Zambian, as a simple google search would show
On 17 March, 2023, politician Linda Masarira posted a ‘heartwarming’ tweet praising ‘a rare teacher in Chivi’. Her thread claimed that the woman in the picture – who she identified as Chisanga Zulu – was a teacher in Chivi and the baby on her back was a sibling to one of her grade 6 pupils. […]
No, this is not your last chance to get on the voters roll for the 2023 election
Claim: This is your last chance to get onto the voters’ roll for the 2023 election. Source: Twitter Verdict: False The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in early March announced a 10-day mobile biometric registration blitz running from the 12th to the 21st of March 2023. In a statement announcing the exercise, ZEC referred to it as […]
No, the Constitution does not compel ZEC to make available the Voters Roll to any Zimbabwean needing it. However, the Electoral Act does
CLAIM: The constitution says it (voter’s roll) should be made available by @ZECzim to any Zimbabwean needing it. Source: Twitter VERDICT: Inaccurate Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono posted a tweet following a ruling made by Justice Never Katiyo where Harare North Member of Parliament, Allan Markham was seeking an order for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to avail […]
2023 polling date yet to be announced, but will be between 27 July and 26 August
A reader asked FactCheckZW to check if the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced the election dates yet. The answer is that ZEC has not announced the actual polling dates yet but only a period in which the polling date should fall. In an announcement, ZEC chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, said the elections will likely be […]
Previous court rulings suggest that Presidents no longer have constitutional powers to remove a city Mayor from office
Claim: (President) Mnangagwa has no power to fire a mayor from another political party Source: Twitter Verdict: True Twitter has been thrown into a debate club following a story published by the Daily News on 14 February 2023 which states that President Mnangagwa has threatened to fire Harare City Mayor Jacob Mafume over poor service […]
No, drugs do not kill 10 youths daily in Mbare. If they did, Mbare would be in the top three after the US and Scotland
CLAIM: In Mbare at least 10 young people die daily of drug related illnesses SOURCE: The News Hawks VERDICT: False In early February, online publication,The News Hawks shared an article on their Whatsapp group with a claim that ‘in mbare, at least 10 young people die daily of drug related illnesses’. The post was a […]
FACT CHECK: Do you now need a licence for your home generator? Not true.
CLAIM: It is now illegal to run a 5KVA generator without the ZERA license SOURCE: Twitter VERDICT: False An image showing a fine imposed on a business over a generator has gone viral on social media, with one such tweet garnering over 32 000 views. Some users have claimed that you now need a licence […]
