A heated feud between Zimbabwean journalists Hopewell Chin’ono and Simba Chikanza has taken social media by storm. Chikanza, founder of ZimEye, a popular online news platform, recently went on a Facebook Live rant expressing his disdain for Chin’ono, prompting a scathing response from the latter.
According to Chin’ono, Chikanza has been running a three-year campaign of lies and harassment against him, even allegedly slandering the late Dr. Alex Magaisa and harassing institutions that have invited Chin’ono to speak. Chin’ono claims that Chikanza’s behavior is “unhinged” and motivated by jealousy and envy.
In his Facebook post, Chin’ono mocked Chikanza’s emotional outburst, saying, “This guy really hates me… If he had poison and I was sitting next to him, he would slip it into my drink.” He also ridiculed Chikanza’s website, claiming it has no comments or likes, and accused him of self-destructing in public.
Supporters of Chin’ono rallied around him, with Charles Nyambuya commenting, “Rise above the noise of resentment. Those who despise you speak only from the shadows of their own defeat.” Others, like Nyasha Map, couldn’t resist a humorous jab, saying, “Imagine Simba is someone’s husband.”
The feud between Chin’ono and Chikanza is not new. In 2024, Chikanza lost an unfair dismissal claim against Al Jazeera, where he worked as a research consultant on the Gold Mafia documentary series. Chikanza had accused Chin’ono of being involved in the project, which he denied. The tribunal ruled that Chikanza was not an employee of Al Jazeera and dismissed his claim .
It seems Chin’ono has the upper hand in this drama, with many calling out Chikanza’s behavior as pathetic and driven by bitterness. As Charles Nyambuya said, “Your progress is the silence that conquers their bitterness.” Only time will tell if Chikanza will channel his energy into more productive pursuits .
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