Of note in the presentation was the assertion that abductions that have been happening in the country seem
‘timed’ so that they happen when there are international visitors or notable events in the country, leading
to a negative image being portrayed. Minister Ziyambi cited the case of Doctor Peter Magombeyi who he
said was abducted at the time the UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and
Association Clément Nyaletsossi Voule was in the country. He further noted that Samantha Kureya, Obert
Masaraure and Johane Mundoza abductions were all timed so as to have the best impact in tarnishing the
country’s image.
Government defended its actions especially relating to its reaction to the August 1, 2018 shooting of 6
civilians and the violence surrounding the January 2019 #Shutdown protest. Government indicated that the
force used to curb the August violence was intended to protect people from vandals and loss of property.
Furthermore, the state highlighted that the January 2019 violence was “pre-planned, master minded and
sponsored by external forces, local civic society and NGOs”. Women and children were apparently used as
shields by the said institutions as they incited citizens to protest in order to please their handlers at the
expense of innocent lives.
Food and other Aid Distribution violations are still being reported despite government assurances that
this will stop. In August 2019 Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July
Moyo who is also the chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Disaster Prevention and
Management assured Zimbabwe that the local leadership who include Councillors and Village Heads would
not be directly involved in the distribution of aid to avoid issues of partisan distribution.
However, the situation on the ground indicates that this assurance was a damp squib as villagers are still
being deprived. It is particularly worth noting that in the Presidential Input Distribution Scheme that is well
underway, people are being excluded from the list of beneficiaries on the basis of their political affiliation.
On 18 October 2019 in Ward 11, Guruve South at Mupinyuri Primary School, Zanu PF Councillor Samuel
Machumi reportedly ordered village secretaries to compile a farming inputs database excluding perceived
MDC supporters. Machumi stated that all MDC supporters should denounce their party first for them to
benefit from government aid.
A similar message was reiterated in Gokwe Gumunyu on 19 October 2019 by Ward 14 Councillor Stewart
Mbulawa, who is also the Council Chairperson for Gokwe North. Mbulawa called a meeting at the Ward
Centre for purposes of listing beneficiaries of the Presidential Inputs Scheme whose inputs were awaiting
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