Fadzayi Mahere Responds After Tino Machakaire Demands Public Apology
High Court advocate and political activist Fadzayi Mahere has clapped back after Youth Empowerment Minister Tinoda Machakaire threatened her with legal action over a post she made on X (formerly Twitter). The Wedza South MP, through his lawyers, is demanding a full public apology and retraction of what he calls “defamatory” social media remarks.
The drama started when Mahere posted a thread on 6 July questioning Machakaire’s alleged links to a US$8 million tax evasion scandal involving vehicle imports. Though framed as questions, Machakaire’s legal team says the post clearly implied corruption and abuse of power.
In a strongly worded letter dated 7 July, Prichard Attorneys accused Mahere of smearing the minister’s name under the guise of asking questions. They said her post was not only false and malicious but also made it seem like Machakaire was guilty, even though no court has ruled on the matter.
The lawyers argued that her language carried a “quasi-innuendo,” a fancy way of saying it hinted heavily at guilt without openly saying it. They also accused her of ignoring legal channels she could’ve used to seek information. According to the letter, Mahere, as a lawyer, should have known better and followed the procedures under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).
The letter reads in part:
“As a legal practitioner, you are aware of the provisions of Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act Chapter 10:27. This piece of legislation informs you of the available course of action that you must take if you so require certain information of public authorities. If you required anything from our client, you ought to have followed the strict provisions of law.”
They then gave her 24 hours to comply with several demands, which included a public and unconditional apology, to be published in both print and digital media and a retraction of the original post and explicitly stating that she withdraws any allegations against Machakaire. The letter included a ready-made retraction statement for Mahere to use, one in which she would admit to having falsely portrayed the minister as a liar, thief, and abuser of public funds.
Said the lawyers:
“You shall issue a sincere, profuse and unconditional public apology to our client, acknowledging the harm caused by your nefarious allegations. The apology must be both in print and digital media.
For avoidance of doubt, you shall cause the apology to be published in one of the most circulating newspapers in this country and publish the same apology by posting it on your x handle @advocatemahere.
You shall unconditionally and retract the posts you made on your x handle by stating the following: “I do hereby retract unconditionally, the posts that I made regards to Honorable Machakaire wherein I tainted him to be corrupt, liar, dishonest and that he uses public funds to acquire luxury vehicles”.
But Mahere was having none of it.
Responding on her X page later that day, she publicly embarrassed both the minister and his lawyers by pointing out that the law they cited — AIPPA — no longer exists. In short, they were threatening her using a law that was repealed five years ago.
She wrote:
“
Good morning, Honourable Minister, 1. Are you not aware that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was repealed five years ago? 2. Were you not a Member of Parliament when this law was removed from our statute books? We need new leaders.”
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The post Fadzayi Mahere Responds After Tino Machakaire Demands Public Apology appeared first on iHarare News.
