19 Facts About Evan Mawarire

Evan Mawarire was born on 7 March 1977 and is a Zimbabwean pastor and democratic activist.

In late 2017, it was reported by BBC News that Evan Mawarire was acquitted by a Zimbabwe court where he faced a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted for allegedly trying to overthrow Robert Mugabe.

Evan Mawarire's parents were civil servants and he was raised in a Christian household.

Evan Mawarire spent his early childhood in Harare, before moving to Mashonaland West Province.

Evan Mawarire attended Amandas Primary School in the town of Concession.

Evan Mawarire went on to study at the Harare Institute of Technology, where he earned an Auto Electrician diploma in 1996.

Evan Mawarire worked in business for a number of years, while at the same time volunteering at his church, teaching Sunday school.

Evan Mawarire found the work at his church more fulfilling, and in 2002 he quit his job and went to Bible college.

The Herald, a Zimbabwean state-owned newspaper, claimed that Evan Mawarire was a fraudster who conned church goers from his church based in United Kingdom so as to evade tax.

In July 2016, Evan Mawarire was arrested on charges of inciting violence in Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Republic Police seized his phone.

On 1 February 2017, Evan Mawarire was arrested in connection with a charge of trying to overthrow Robert Mugabe at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Zimbabwe on his way back from the United States.

In June 2017, Evan Mawarire was arrested for praying with protesting students of the University of Zimbabwe.

In September 2017, Evan Mawarire was arrested for citing Zimbabwe's economic problems by the Zimbabwe Republic Police at his church.

Pastor Evan Mawarire was arrested again on 16 January 2019 after calling for and organising a national boycott against rising cost of living and misgovernance.

Under the new president Emmerson Mnangagwa, Evan Mawarire was charged with subversion.

Shortly after Morgan Tsvangirai's death it was reported that Evan Mawarire considered Tsvangirai to be a significant player in Zimbabwe's post-independence legacy as he challenged Mugabe's rule from the outside, different from his predecessors.

Shortly after Robert Mugabe's 94th birthday while at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, Evan Mawarire voiced his skepticism on Zimbabwe's 2018 election being free and fair.

In late March 2018, Evan Mawarire announced that he would be running for a local government position in Harare.

Forbes published an article on how Evan Mawarire came from obscurity to becoming a well-known human rights activist using the internet to fight for democracy.