NUST Student Remanded in Custody Over Offensive Tribal Tweets, Social Media Erupts With Reactions

NUST Student Remanded in Custody over Hateful Tribal Tweets

Social media has been set ablaze after a 24-year-old National University of Science and Technology (NUST) student was remanded in police custody over hateful tribal tweets he made against the Ndebele people.

Tanaka Ryan Ziso, a final-year Civil and Water Engineering student at NUST, is going to spend the Easter holidays behind bars after he was dragged to court on Thursday.

According to The Chronicle, Tanaka Ziso appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Maxwell Ncube to answer for charges of causing offence to persons of a particular race. He was remanded in custody until 2 April 2024.

NUST Student Offensive Tribal Tweets Sparks Controversy on Social Media

On March 13, 2024, Tanaka Ryan Ziso, who uses the handle ‘The Royal Priest of Chitungwiza’ (@iamryantanaka) in X, stirred up controversy by posting a demeaning and hateful tribal message directed towards the Ndebele people.

“The way MaNdevere claim they’re not Zimbabweans is top tier man😂, woenda kuSouth Africa vokuramba, wopiswa ikoko futi.
I wish I could live with those kind of brains, no real thinking, no straining your brains. Just an idiot saying Vele 25 times a day. Freestyle kinda life😭,” reads the tweet he posted.

His post triggered a firestorm on social media as netizens found his tweet quite offensive and insulting.

Riding on the wave, Tanaka continued to post more offensive comments, which drew both criticism and support from different social media users.

NUST Student Remanded in Custody over Hateful Tribal Tweets (Image Credit: X)

Apology Fails to Sway Public Opinion

After facing heavy criticism, he later issued an apology. However, his apology failed to impress social media users, who argued that it was insincere. Netizens argued that he only apologized due to the mounting criticism and calls for him to be expelled from NUST University.

Mixed Reactions as NUST Student Faces Legal Action Over Offensive Tweets

News that Tanaka has been remanded in custody has sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. A section on social media has applauded NUST University and the justice system for taking legal action against Tanaka. Netizens argued that he deserves whatever punishment he receives.

However, another section on social media expressed discontent over Tanaka’s arraignment in court and subsequent remand in custody. They believe it is unfair that he had to face legal action for his tweets. These netizens defended him, arguing that the tweets were meant as a joke and that the matter should have been resolved with his apology instead of escalating it to court.

Here are some of the reactions

@thabanimnyama;

I love this and I support it fully. This kid was tweeting nonsense with the support of his friends here and now boom, you get a criminal record and you haven’t even graduated. Those who were supporting him are mum.😂

@MukonoWasauka;

Tanaka was unteachable and proud of his assertions, we tried. Those who do not listen have to feel , so the saying goes.

@oga_rah;

Haaa amana zvake. All for likes and retweets from strangers. Hanzi content.
Now it’s a tainted image

@ericfrish;

Totally unfair though, lots of ndebeles shout at shonas and show hate with passion on a daily basis and nothing happens. The sensationalisation of such is one among misplaced priorities by NUST, police, Judiciary etc. Very silly regai mwana adzidze in peace.

@RangaNaiti;

Release this young man he apologized

The post NUST Student Remanded in Custody Over Offensive Tribal Tweets, Social Media Erupts With Reactions appeared first on iHarare News.