A Zimbabwean based journalist has been arrested over a story revealing that First Lady, Grace Mugabe donated used underwear and night-dresses to ruling Zanu PF supporters.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) spokesperson Kumbirai Mafunda said reporter Kenneth Nyangani was picked up on Monday by police over the story that was published in the private daily NewsDay.
“He has been arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members for allegedly writing a story published in Monday’s edition of NewsDay, claiming that First Lady Grace Mugabe donated some used undergarments to some Zanu PF supporters in Manicaland province,” Mafunda is quoted saying.
The story does not mention where President Robert Mugabe’s wife sourced the used underwear and night-dresses.
Grace last year revealed that she donates second-hand clothes confiscated from vendors by state security agents, municipal police and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
“I have brought many things for you among them are 150 bales of second-hand clothes . . .you are going to wear them and we are giving out without looking at whether you can fit in or not.
“Let me tell you this, don’t buy second-hand clothes, don’t import them because when they are confiscated by police and authorities, they are given to me as the mother so that I could distribute them to many people for free,” Grace told Zanu PF supporters during a rally held at Murombedzi Growth Point in Zvimba last year.
Government last year banned the importation of second hand clothes, but due to the economic hardships thousands of informal traders have ventured into the vending and selling of used clothing.
The second hand clothes are smuggled from countries such as Mozambique and South Africa.
