Opposition politician and top Harare lawyer Fadzayi Mahere has hit back at Youth Empowerment Minister Tinoda Machakaire, maintaining her position over his alleged ill-got wealth and instead demanding a retraction and apology.
Mahere gave Machakaire a 24-hour ultimatum to issue an apology to her and retract his "defamatory" statements alleging that she cheated her way into the University of Zimbabwe and is promiscuous, among other allegations.
Machakaire had earlier on Monday demanded a public apology and retraction from Mahere for her posts on X alleging his involvement in US$8 million tax evasion case and other corrupt activities.
Mahere has also written a letter of demand through her lawyers, Diza Attorneys, responding to Machakaire, denying that she defamed him.
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Mahere insisted that Machakaire is a public figure as such a suggestion that a series of questions, posed in the spirit of seeking accountability and transparency from a Cabinet Minister, constitute defamation is legally untenable.
"Additionally, you take the contradictory position that you represent your client in his 'personal capacity', but proceed to rely on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 10:33], which relates to accessing information from public entities in their official capacity. To the extent that your client is proceeding as a private citizen, this law cannot apply to him.
"For the avoidance of doubt, there is no law that prohibits citizens from openly asking public officials questions in the spirit of seeking accountability and transparency. To the contrary, section 67 of the Constitution protects the right to do so. In the circumstances, no valid cause of action is disclosed by your letter of demand," said her lawyers adding that there is no basis for his request for a public apology or retraction by Mahere.
The lawyers said all the questions were asked in line with Machakaire's obligation to adhere to the principles of good governance that bind all agencies of Government, including transparency, justice, accountability and responsiveness, enshrined in section 3(2)(g) of the Constitution.
She said he can go ahead and sue her if he wishes.
Mahere's lawyers gave a notice to seek an exemplary order of costs on the grounds that such a claim would be a frivolous and vexatious abuse of court process.
The lawyers went on to say Machakaire is the one who actually defamed Mahere in their heated exchange on X between the 5th and 6th of July 2025.
"Your client posted a barrage of false, malicious and defamatory tweets in respect of our client on his X handle, @Hon Machakaire."
According to the lawyers, the defamatory statements include the one in which the minister wrote that Mahere corruptly enrolled in the Faculty of Law at UZ with minimal entry points.
Machakaire allegedly said, "Your law degree is rooted in a stinking corrupt passage to the Law Faculty....... It is the public interest that you renounce your corruptly obtained UZ law degree...Further, you owe the public an apology for your sojourns to Uncle Tom on palpably espionage missions which are well documented.
"You are corrupt to the core Humpty Dumpty Johny black who has traversed the world to sell your soul and the heritage of our generation for the proverbial six pence. Do you want us to disclose the payment details of your paymasters my irredeemably corrupt Humpty Dumpty advovo?"...the entirety of your humpty dumpty advocacy involves well-known bribery racketeering? Are you not ashamed of the corrupt mess you have made of our justice system? Outside corrupt syndicated outcomes do you have any matters worth mentioning. Why are you dragging our justice system to the stinking pits of hell with your covert corrupt acts?", among other statements.
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The lawyers said he also posted, "While at it please share with the world the raunchy detalls of your sexcapades which got you a brand-new Jaguar for merely a one-night stand?"
Mahere's lawyers said the post portrays their client as a woman of loose morals, who is corrupt and incompetent, a moron and a thief.
"These defamatory statements are wholly untrue and have the effect of harming our client's academic, professional and political standing as well as her personal reputation and good name," they said.
Mahere demanded a public apology within 24 hours, threatening to institute legal proceedings claiming damages for defamation if the minister fails to do so.
