“…Journalist Blessed Mhlanga ‘s Haunting Letter of Survival and Defiance From Remand Prison
By Delicious Mathuthu
Harare, Zimbabwe – In a moving and personal letter penned from his cell at Harare Remand Prison, veteran journalist Blessed Mhlanga has broken his silence after several failed bail attempts and spending over 40 days in detention, raising serious concerns about the state of media freedom in Zimbabwe.
Dated April 7, 2025, the two-part letter, titled “Letter from Prison,” paints a harrowing picture of Mhlanga’s incarceration, marked by illness, overcrowding, and emotional turmoil.
The Heart & Soul Television (HSTv) journalist reveals he is being held in the notorious D-Class section, typically reserved for the country’s most dangerous criminals, despite being detained on charges related to a broadcast deemed by the state as inciting public violence.
“I know I will be staying here longer for the sins of freedoms, particularly that of expression,” Mhlanga wrote, describing the physical and emotional toll of his detention.
“Prison, dear friends, is a dark place… these walls of punishment built by Smith and abused by our own carry with them a curse,” he wrote.
Mhlanga’s letter highlighted the psychological strain of confinement, admitting to moments of emotional breakdown and strained relationships, even with his own legal team, family, and colleagues.
He expressed profound gratitude for the support he has received from fellow journalists, civil society organizations, and the general public.
“Honestly I can’t imagine how I would have survived without your voices of solidarity and love,” he wrote, adding that, “it is you who have carried me.”
A GoFundMe campaign, organized by fellow journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, has raised £4,000 towards Mhlanga’s welfare and his family’s needs, a gesture he described as “an act of love” that helped keep his children in school and shielded him from the dire food rations at the prison.
In the second part of his letter, Mhlanga maintained his innocence and reiterated his commitment to journalism.
He expressed frustration that he was being treated as a proxy for his employer, HSTv, after airing political views expressed by Blessed Runesu Geza at a press conference.
“I wish to restate that I am not HSTv, I remain Blessed Mhlanga who is also a proud employee of HSTv,” he wrote.
He cited Section 277 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act to argue against the State’s position that holds him personally liable for the corporation’s broadcast.
Mhlanga also paid tribute to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe), Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Amnesty International, and other organizations that have supported his cause, while urging the government to respect the Constitution.
Mhlanga concluded with a powerful reminder, quoting a United States of America Chief Justice, one John Marshall.
“The purpose of a written constitution is to outline and limit the powers of the legislature and other branches of government,” he wrote.
The letter has since gone viral across social media and journalistic circles, invoking renewed calls for Mhlanga’s release and for broader reforms to protect press freedom in Zimbabwe.
