“Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace”, his lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters, adding that police were searching Mawarire’s home in Harare.
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Evan Mawarire is behind a series of protests and has now been charged with inciting public violence.
The job stayaway called by civic groups last Wednesday was well supported across the country after news of the plan spread on social media and organisers have vowed to press on with more protests in the coming weeks.
Human rights lawyers said the law under which Mawarire had been charged carried a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she had no details on the issue and could not immediately comment.
Still, Mawarire, who allegedly survived an abduction attempt last week, remained defiant, saying he was particularly disgusted by the police brutality on people who heeded last week’s shutdown.
“Pray for me”, he said.
Evan Mawarire was told to report to police this morning ahead of another stay away planned for tomorrow and Thursday.
Information minister Christopher Mushowe also warned Sunday that the authorities were tracking “all those who are abusing the social media to cause unrest in the country”. Mkwananzi was freed on $300 bail on Monday.
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Zimbabwe, which abandoned its own currency in favour of U.S. dollars in 2009 to end hyperinflation, spends more than 80 percent of its revenue on state workers’ wages and is rated among the most corrupt nations worldwide. “There comes a time when we have to use a different strategy to that being used by the people we are confronting”.
