Police on Monday arrested award-winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume for allegedly inciting “public violence” ahead of anti-government protests set for July 31.The Zimbabwe Republic Police said the two, who were arrested in separate incidents, were facing charges of contravening a section of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act that deals with “incitement to participate in public violence”.

“The duo will appear in court soon and are currently in police custody,” police spokesman Paul Nyathi said in a statement.

Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said the police broke into the journalist’s house on Monday morning.

“They broke the glass at the door and gained entry,” she said.  

A video clip showed part of the raid, with some detectives entering Chin’ono’s house. 

A vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chin’ono is a film producer who has previously won the CNN African Journalist of the Year and has worked for the BBC and CNN.

Ngarivhume is president of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe. He has called on Zimbabweans to protest against state corruption and the deteriorating economic situation on July 31.