One airport short: the Hwange airport runway claim checked
CLAIM: Did you know? Hwange National Park Airport in Zimbabwe boasts the 4th longest runway in Africa, trailing only South Africa’s and Harare International Airport’s runways. SOURCE: X Account, Henry Hakula – @henryhakula VERDICT: Partly true On April 1, 2025, X (formerly Twitter) account holder Henry Hakula, using the handle @henryhakula, posted a message claiming […]
Dew Water: no Ebola, no deaths, just a hoax that refuses to die
CLAIM: Dew bottled water, which killed 180 people in Nigeria, is being distributed in South Africa SOURCE: WhatsApp message VERDICT: False A message on WhatsApp claims that poisoned bottled water from a Tanzanian company is being distributed in South Africa. The claim is that from Tanzania, the water was distributed in Nigeria where it killed […]
What’s in a number: no evidence President Mnangagwa will be 90 in 2028
CLAIM: Mnangagwa will be 90 in 2028 SOURCE: Hopewell Chin’ono on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: Inconclusive On February 5, 2025, Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that President Emmerson Mnangagwa would be 90 years old in 2028. Chin’ono was reflecting on the events leading to the 2017 military removal […]
The ghost of COVID past: Misleading screenshot claims COVID-19 outbreak at Morningside Mediclinic
CLAIM: Covid-19 cases rise to 90 at Morningside Mediclinic SOURCE: Social media platforms VERDICT: False A screenshot of the Sandton Chronicle with the headline Covid-19 cases rise to 90 at Morningside MediClinic has been circulating. The screenshot that FactCheckZW was asked to verify has Monday, January 6 2025 at the top of the article. The […]
Zimbabwe’s Informal Sector: Still Second Largest, But Bolivia No Longer First
CLAIM: The informal sector in Zimbabwe is rated at 64% by the multinationals second only to Bolivia 🇧🇴 SOURCE: Busisa Moyo VERDICT: Partly true Zimbabwean businessman, Busisa Moyo, was engaged in a social media debate on the country’s informal sector and its impact on formal businesses. Commenting on the closure of a branch of a […]
Factsheet: World Asthma Day – Take a deep breath
According to the Global Asthma Report, asthma is a greater problem than had been previously thought. Lower income countries have unmet needs which should be addressed comprehensively. It says asthma remains the most common non communicable disease in children and adolescents in Africa. Despite this, asthma remains largely undiagnosed and is associated with significant morbidity […]
Lightning can strike your home several times and no, it hasn’t been sent by your enemies. It’s just science and geography
CLAIM: Lightning does not strike the same place twice. SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: False It’s the rainy season in Zimbabwe and already a number of lightning strikes have occurred and fatalities recorded. Zimbabwe is prone to lightning strikes and was once entered into the Guinness book of records for the highest number […]
No Fresh Polls For Zimbabwe
IN SHORT: Messages shared and circulated on various social media platforms that Zimbabwe is going to have fresh polls administered by SADC in the next 3 to 6 months are false. There are no talks currently on Zimbabwe having fresh polls, as the election results have not been legally challenged. The main opposition party, Citizens […]
ZEC: It is your math that is not mathing
CLAIM: @ZECzim break the world record of pple who have voted ZANU PF 52,6℅ CCC 44℅ Other parties 6,4℅ Totally 103℅ 😂😂😂 Just a clear sing of rigged election @SADC_News ,@CCCZimbabwe SOURCE: WhatsApp VERDICT: False A WhatsApp message has been forwarded claiming that the presidential results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission do not add […]
The DOs and DONTs: Your guide on what to do and not on election day
A part of Section 56 of the Electoral Act reads: “(b) except as provided in Part XIV (“PostalVoting”),a voter shall not be entitled to vote otherwise than at a polling station located in a ward for which he or she is registered as a voter on the ward voters roll” See here what happens in […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
