TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN ZIMBABWE
The church, under the banner of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD),
has taken a bold stance of penning a letter to the president expressing their concerns about
the “recent pronouncements by some Members of Parliament and Political activists urging him
to extend his term of office beyond 2028.” In the same letter, the church urged the citizens to
exercise agency in defending the constitution by pushing back the agenda through peaceful
means. It also urged parliamentarians to use their oversight role of keeping the Executive in
check and avoiding the abuse of power and tempering with the constitution. ZPP considers the
action taken by the church as a timely and positive intervention towards sustainable peace in
Zimbabwe. This is so because the 2030 agenda, if it succeeds, will not only reverse the 2013
constitutional and democratic gains, but also leave Zimbabweans deeply divided. The
referendum needed to amend the constitution to pave way for the 2030 agenda will keep
Zimbabwe in a perpetual election mode. Human rights violations will surge during the
referendums, as is always the case during politically tense environments. The church sternly
encouraged the President to adhere to the constitutional term limits, and to support a
peaceful transition of power in the year 2028 following free, fair and credible elections. By
urging the President to uphold the constitutional two-term presidential limit, the church is
promoting constitutionalism, a course that will lead to sustainable peace and stability in
Zimbabwe. The ZHOCD's statement is a call to action, to respect the constitution and warns
that extending his rule beyond 2028 could “irretrievably erode public trust in the electoral
processes in Zimbabwe.”
10 STEPS BACKWARDS
…as clampdown on CSOs shrinks civic space
Human rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans continue to be under severe threat due
to escalating political tensions. A recent survey by the by ZimRights and the
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders show that of the 67 Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) surveyed, nearly all reported operating with significant
restrictions, including surveillance, infiltration by state agents, and intimidation. The
proposed Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Bill poses a significant threat to civic
space, allowing law enforcement to interfere with civil society operations and
deregister CSOs deemed to have changed their mandate. This proposed legislation
risks undermining freedom of association and expression, directly impacting the work
of non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders. The report’s key
concerns include the restrictive laws such the proposed PVO Bill which, if passed into
law, will classify legitimate human rights activities as unlawful, leaving room for broad
and subjective interpretation. The report further notes surveillance and intimidation as
key concerns as 94% of national-level organisations reported facing surveillance,
infiltration by state agents, material destruction, and intimidation of staff and
members. Low public trust was also highlighted as only 51% of Zimbabweans
expressed trust in key public institutions and leaders, highlighting a significant trust
deficit. These concerns underscore the need for urgent attention for all Zimbabweans
to protect the rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans. You can read the full report here
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