THE Zanu PF-led government has continued to violate human rights. Its crackdown on human rights and opposition activists, including the continued eviction of people from urban and rural settlements using State resources and agents such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police is testimony to this.
Budiriro residents whose houses were demolished are the latest victims. Zimbabwe should not be considered independent for the following reasons:
lAlthough the country is supposed to be governed by the Constitution, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime’s intolerant and authoritarian rule does not adhere to the tenets of the supreme law. An autocratic regime does not guarantee prosperity, poverty reduction and observance of human rights.
lThe media, civic groups, human rights activists and ordinary people are not allowed to criticise the government and if they do they are labelled “sellouts” and brutalised as a consequence.
lThere are no free and fair elections, freedoms of speech and expression are limited and violence by State security agents is sanctioned by the government on dissenting voices.
lElections are won by the ruling Zanu PF party by the use of unfair means as witnessed in 2018.
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lCivic organisation meetings and demonstrations are declared illegal on the pretext of observing the COVID-19-induced lockdown regulations.
lPolitically-motivated violence such as murders and disappearances, intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters and intolerance of dissent are endemic during the run-up to elections.
In light of this, it is clear that Zimbabwe does not have a universally acceptable democratic framework and Zimbabweans have had no experience of democracy during and after white minority rule.
Viola