Pastor Evan Mawarire came under fire this afternoon, after President Robert Mugabe accused him of being sponsored by foreign countries allegedly on a mission to destabilise Zimbabwe.
It is the first time President Robert Mugabe has mentioned Evan Mawarire publicly by name.
Mawarire last week was briefly arrested and charged with subverting a constitutionally elected government before being freed by a court in the capital, Harare. Hundreds of cheering supporters greeted his release.
His calls on social media for a boycott earlier this month drew a strong response from people frustrated by Zimbabwe’s deepening economic problems. Mawarire was arrested ahead of the strike.
The 92-year-old Mugabe accused the pastor of urging Zimbabweans to engage in violent protests, questioning whether he was a “true preacher”.
“You can’t urge people to adopt violence, violent demonstrations as the way of life or a way of solving grievances, no. We will say no, forever no,” Mugabe said at the burial of his former chief secretary, Dr Charles Utete.
“So beware these men of cloth, not all of them are true preachers of the Bible. I don’t know whether they are serving God. They spell God in reverse,” the president said.
“The Mawarires, if they don’t like to live with us, let them go to those who are sponsoring them, to the countries that are sponsoring them,” Mugabe added.
Mawarire left the country last week but has denied reports he fled to seek asylum elsewhere.
Mugabe’s government has previously accused French and American ambassadors in Harare of supporting Mawarire’s #ThisFlag movement. The diplomats have denied the accusations.