Mr Mawarire admitted the protest was not as successful as last week’s – when the country’s cities were deserted – but said the strike should continue on Thursday.
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Hundreds of cheering supporters greeted the pastor after Chikwekwe told the court that his “remand.is hereby refused” and acquitted him of the charges.
Recent demonstrations, the largest in several years, have been triggered by an economic crisis that has left banks short of cash and the government struggling to pay its workers.
Mawarire had appeared in court earlier on Wednesday after spending a night in police cells while officers searched his house, church and office.
The regime has retaliated by charging Mr Mawarire with plotting to topple the regime, an accusation that carries a possible 20-year prison sentence.
On Tuesday evening, Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo held a press conference to warn that anyone who took part in the planned two-day strike would face “the full wrath of the law”.
Mawarire was arrested on Tuesday but released the following day after a magistrate dismissed the case against him.
Amnesty International said Mawarire’s arrest was a calculated plan by Zimbabwean authorities to intimidate activists ahead of July 13 protests.
Mawarire was soon after charged with instigating public disorder and violence and arrested in an evident move to bring the ongoing protests in Zimbabwe to a halt.
Zimbabweans stage protests in various countries to show solidarity with protest leaders pressing for immediate social, economic and political reforms.
The strike on Wednesday followed days of sporadic protests triggered by a sudden outbreak of demonstrations on the outskirts of Harare over police manning road blocks accused of extorting cash from motorists.
Footage on the internet has shown police beating protesters with sticks.
Violent clashes also erupted at Zimbabwe’s main border post with South Africa, Beitbridge, forcing its closure, when the Zimbabwean government banned the import of certain goods from South Africa.
Mawarire has called for nonviolent protests, and has demanded that corrupt ministers be fired and civil servants be paid their salaries on time.
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In 2009, after rampant money-printing pushed hyper inflation to more than 500 billion percent, Zimbabwe was forced to adopt foreign currency, largely the USA dollar.
