BY PRIDE MZARABANI THE Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has predicted a bumpy and violent road ahead of the 2023 elections in its latest monthly monitoring report on the country’s human rights situation.
ZPP joins other civic and human rights groups such as the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) that have raised concerns to the Southern African Development Community over possible politically-motivated violence in the months ahead.
In its June report titled Bumpy Road Ahead, ZPP said: “This June, Zanu PF continued to shut down the space for the opposition in Mashonaland West, East, Central and Masvingo provinces and perhaps the most prominent case is when suspected Zanu PF youths allegedly backed by Energy minister and Muzarabani North legislator, Zhemu Soda and Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe attacked Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) vice-president Tendai Biti as he was travelling from Muzarabani,” the report read in part.
“In June alone, ZPP recorded 16 cases of unlawful detention as the law enforcement and justice systems are increasingly being used as weapons to silence government critics and civil society actors.”
But Zanu PF political commissar Mike Bimha dismissed the report as “cooked” to tarnish the image of the ruling party.
ZPP also noted that many of the politically-motivated human rights violations were concentrated in Harare province.
“Harare province has the highest number of politically-motivated human rights violations, with a total of 22 politically-motivated violations, 15 of which are serious and five are severe, and there is one fatality.”
CCC activist Moreblessing Ali was kidnapped, and her mutilated body was recovered from a deep well in Nyatsime last month.
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A suspect, Pius Mukandi, alias Jamba, and possibly linked to Zanu PF, is in remand prison facing murder charges. Zanu PF has denied that the suspect is a member of the ruling party.
Mashonaland Central was listed as having recorded the second highest number of human rights violations with 15 cases.
ZPP urged opposition political figures to desist from irresponsible utterances, de-escalate tensions and avoid breeding more violence.
“While the CCC leadership has publicly denounced violence, which is a welcome move, we believe they should do more to ensure that their supporters are not drawn into retaliating. This is because such a scenario can only breed more violence. The leadership should also desist from irresponsible utterances,” ZPP added.
- Follow Pride on Twitter @MzalahAnesuh
