The name Advocate Fadzayi Mahere is becoming increasingly significant. As she celebrates her 40th birthday today, July 30, 2025, we take a moment to shine a light on this extraordinary Zimbabwean lawyer, politician, and human rights defender whose journey is deeply intertwined with the pursuit of a more just society.
Born on July 30, 1985, Fadzayi grew up in Mount Pleasant, Harare, as the second of four siblings in a tight-knit, middle-class family, with a teacher father and a nurse mother. This upbringing in a post-independence Zimbabwe, which she remembers as “happy and hopeful,” instilled in her an early sense of justice and a strong belief in human rights. She attended Arundel School in Harare, and her siblings include an older brother, Tafadzwa, and a younger sister, Mudiwa. Her early aspiration, from as young as 14, was to become a lawyer.
Advocate Mahere’s connection to the UK runs deep, having pursued her Master of Laws degree in International Criminal Law & International Commercial Litigation at the prestigious University of Cambridge, graduating in 2011. Her time in London also included a coveted Pegasus Fellowship from the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, which saw her work in esteemed Chambers like Essex Court Chambers and Doughty Street Chambers. She even marshalled with a judge at the Old Bailey in 2010, gaining invaluable insights into the UK’s criminal justice system. These experiences provided her with a unique international perspective on justice and advocacy, which she has since brought back to her homeland.
Upon returning to Zimbabwe, Advocate Mahere quickly emerged as a formidable voice for change. Her career has been marked by a relentless dedication to public service and human rights advocacy. After obtaining her Bachelor of Law Honours degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 2008, she honed her legal skills, even winning the All Africa International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2007, where she was awarded Best Oral Argument in the Finals. She later returned to the University of Zimbabwe to teach administrative law and property law, emphasizing values like excellence and commitment to justice. Her international legal work also included research at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and involvement in cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, including the Jean-Pierre Bemba case and investigations into Kenyan post-election violence.
Her courageous stance against the introduction of unconstitutional bond notes in June 2016 ignited a new wave of activism, demonstrating her willingness to confront power directly. Around the same time, she became a prominent spokesperson and leading political activist in the #ThisFlag citizens’ movement, utilizing social media to mobilize people against the government. This period of intense activism led to her arrest in 2017 after organizing a soccer tournament in her constituency, charged under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). She also began speaking internationally, including at the Harvard African Development Conference in 2017.
Her journey into formal politics, first as an independent parliamentary candidate in the 2018 general elections, and then as a leading figure within the main opposition, underscores her belief in active political engagement as a means for lasting transformation. After losing her independent bid in 2018, she officially joined the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance in June 2019 as the Secretary for Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture. By May 2020, she was announced as the National Spokesperson for the MDC Alliance coalition, and later, in 2022, she transitioned to become the National Spokesperson for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
As a prominent voice for the CCC, she has tirelessly exposed corruption, demanded accountability, and advocated for democratic reforms. This commitment has not come without personal cost; she has faced multiple arrests and legal challenges. Notably, in January 2021, she was arrested and imprisoned for her online activities after posting a video on Twitter alleging police brutality, spending seven nights in pre-trial detention. In April 2023, she was controversially convicted of “publishing falsehoods” related to this online activism and sentenced to a fine, a case that drew international condemnation from human rights organizations and sparked concerns about freedom of expression in Zimbabwe. Despite these adversities, she won the Mount Pleasant constituency in the 2023 harmonized elections as a CCC candidate, though she later resigned as Member of Parliament in January 2024. She also participated in the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in 2023.
Advocate Mahere’s influence continues to grow. Her principled stand, sharp intellect, and unwavering dedication to the Zimbabwean people have garnered significant momentum. Many now view her as a leading figure in the country’s political landscape, with a growing call for her to take on the highest office. Her leadership embodies the aspirations of a generation yearning for genuine democracy, economic stability, and respect for human rights.
On her 40th birthday, we celebrate Advocate Fadzayi Mahere’s profound impact and her tireless fight for a brighter future for Zimbabwe. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that courage, conviction, and a commitment to justice can indeed move mountains, inspiring hope not just in Zimbabwe, but across the Zimbabwe Diapora.
