Activist accused of telling followers to carry out attacks says he was ‘afraid to kill a fly’

William Chinyanga, 51 (pictured), is charged with encouraging the bombing of Zimbabwe through four social media speeches

An activist from Zimbabwe was accused of encouraging his followers to commit terrorist acts against the regime. He told the court that it is not his intention to kill anyone. 

William Chinyanga 51 is being accused of inciting bombings to take place in South-east African nation in four speeches. These were delivered over the course of two days on December 2019 to approximately 7,000 people via social media.

Chinyanga of Archway in north London, on December 1, 2019 allegedly instructed his followers to open gunfire at a group of people and use “gorrila.” [sic] warfare’. 

According to his sources, he is a campaigner in the MDC-alliance multi-party bloc opposing Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF government.

The Old Bailey was told he has been charged with four counts of encouraging terrorism, which he denies. 

Chinyanga claimed that his father had been beaten by Zanu PF militants and that he fled Zimbabwe to the UK in 2000, after being threatened with police officers.

Chinyanga stated to the court on Friday that he is against guns.

Assisting a Shona interpreter he quoted Mohatma and then cited George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm to illustrate how Zimbabwean politics operated under Mugabe.

He added, “These corrupt people are criminals.” That made it clear to me that this had to be changed.

Chinyanga said it was “a dark joke” when he was asked about what the phrase “Put on your hood at night and go bomb, do whatever you like to do.”

He said, “I am an attention seeker. I want the British government hear me, my cry.” It is empty.

“I oppose guns and soldiers. What is the purpose of having a government that is manned by soldiers? And what does it mean to fight in the 21st Century?

It’s about real ideas which are both direct and tangible. A fly is something I would not want to harm, but a spider at my place! Never would I ever kill an individual human!

“I don’t want people killed.”

To which Clare Wade QC asked him: ‘What about the part where you say “If you see where a policeman lives, beat him up?’

Chinyanga from Archway, north London, said that he instructed his followers not to open gunfire upon a group of people but instead use ‘gorrila’. [sic]The Old Bailey, “Warfare” (pictured), heard

And he responded: ‘If police are attacking you, if the rioters are attacking you, then you can do that to defend yourself.

“They are monsters because they love to kill.”

Chinyanga said that when questioned about bombing comments, he was just ‘looking to get attention.

He replied, “How, how, and how?” Rockets are so costly, it would just be impossible. This was a joke. It was just a dark joke.

Following her graduation from University of Havana during the mid-1990s, she was involved with political organizing in Harare. 

After arriving in the UK in 2005, the activist was still involved in politics. However, he was forced to quit the Zimbabwe African People’s Union in 2009 because he had formed a government in exile.

Sean Larkin QC, Prosecutor, earlier stated to the court, “He is 51 years of age, was born in Zimbabwe and sought asylum in 2009. He was granted indefinite leave.

He is an enemy of the Zimbabwean government, it is clear.

He had a Facebook page and live-streamed four speeches over two days to over 7000 of his followers.

“He spoke in English and Shona, and was critical of the Zimbabwean government.

“The prosecution case says that he made a valid complaint to the government, and then committed the crimes with which he has been charged.”

Jurors were told by Chinyanga that he was a “long-standing adversary of the Zimbabwean regime”, although only four of the speech he uploaded were subject to charges.

He added that Mr Larkin encouraged his followers bombing ZanuPF’s headquarters, the ZanuPF leader’s motorcade, petrol stations and bombing of other leaders. It was all done with the intention to destroy the economy, bring about revolution, to attack police officers, to attack soldiers.

“He encouraged his disciples to share their speeches with others.

Chinyanga, a Chinyanga supporter of MDC-alliance (a multi-party bloc opposing Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government in Zimbabwe in 2019, is believed to have been a campaigner for the MDC-alliance.

Police became suspicious of Chinyanga’s speech entitled “The strategy to eliminate zanu.pf. Announcement’ Chinyanga was interviewed February 2020.

He confessed to posting the speech, and he wanted to overthrow the government of his country. Officers released him under investigation.

He said that anyone in their right mind would open gunfire upon a group of terrorists and called what had happened in Zimbabwe “a shame”, according to the court.

According to Mr Larkin, ‘What seems to have occurred is that he described seeing footage from Zimbabwe of police shooting protesters in an apparent tree-planting matter.

“That’s what triggers speeches.”

The jury was told by Robert Mugabe that Zanu-PF had ruled the country in Southeast Africa since 1980 when it became independent.

He was overthrown by his party in 2017 and replaced by Emmerson Nnangagwa.

Chinyanga denied the following:

The trial is continuing.