Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has hit back at outspoken politician Temba Mliswa, accusing him of spreading lies and attempting to distort history regarding alleged dealings with exiled former ministers.
In a strongly worded post on X, Chin’ono told Mliswa to stop linking him in the arrest of former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi.
“Dear @TembaMliswa, please don’t drag me into your Walter Mzembi shenanigans by spreading lies about me. I never accused you of anything, I simply repeated what happened between me and you. Yet you are spreading lies!” Chin’ono wrote.
“Dear TembaMliswa, please don’t drag me into your Walter Mzembi shenanigans by spreading lies about me. I never accused you of anything, I simply repeated what happened between me and you. Yet you are spreading lies!” Chin’ono wrote.
The journalist went on to reveal that Mliswa allegedly tried to lure him in Johannesburg, encouraging him to return to Zimbabwe under assurances of safety.
However, Chin’ono claims he had already been warned by Ali Naka and individuals within the CIO that Mliswa was working with the intelligence service to target three exiled politicians wanted by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chin’ono backed his claims with WhatsApp screenshots of his conversations with Mliswa, stating that although he told Mliswa he was traveling to Addis Ababa, it was a deliberate excuse after receiving warnings about the alleged plot.
He stressed that he is “a journalist, not a politician” and has no interest in power games. Chin’ono further accused Mliswa of tribal bias, saying privately Mliswa had framed his dispute as being with Zezurus, a claim Chin’ono dismissed as baseless.
“I do not share private communications, but I have had to share your messages because you lied by linking me to issues that have nothing to do with me. I am not an asylum seeker in any country as you lied yesterday. Don’t cover up your mission by lying!” he added.
