The fate of Itai Dzamara the human rights activist and journalist who was abducted on 9 March 2015
remains unknown.
wn. A national prayer meeting for Dzamara that was scheduled for the 14th of June
2015 was postponed after alleged interference by the police. Amnesty International correctly notes
that enforced disappearances are frequently used as a strategy to spread te
terror
rror within society. The
feeling of insecurity and fear it generates is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but
also affects communities and society as a whole.
On 15 March 2015 Zimbabwe received 5,400 metric tonnes of rice worth 8 mil
million
lion USD from the
government of China to help alleviate food shortages. According to the Minister of Public Service,
Labour and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira the rice was to be distributed to accredited institutions
accommodating vulnerable children, old people, the disabled, prisoners and poor families
throughout the country. There have been allegations that this rice has been diverted to other uses
and is commonly distributed at Zanu PF functions and during campaigns. This report will highlight a
number of cases across the country which involves discrimination in the distribution of rice.
A total of 215 cases were recorded in June 2015, as the graph below will show, this has been the
average number of violations since the beginning of the year. The seemingly
mingly low numbers of
violations mask deep and growing tensions centred around intra party conflicts which are protracted
within both the ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition MDC
MDC-T.
T. Since the beginning of the year ZPP
has been noting how the divisions within
ithin Zanu PF have resulted in threats, intimidation, assaults and
discrimination against members perceived to belong to the gamatox faction. Factional politics within
the MDC-TT is increasingly turning violent and the opposition movement seems likely to further
disintegrate.
egrate. The country has been in election mode since January 2015 due to by-elections
elections and
campaigns around these elections have in some cases turned violent with increasing threats and
intimidation.
224
250
200
155
152
216
215
156
150
100
50
0
January
February
March
April
May
June
Figure 1: January to June 2015 Violations Figures
PROVINCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Bulawayo
The by-elections
elections held in the province’s five constituencies were the highlight in June. Though very
few cases of physical violence were reported, many incidents of threats of assaults and vot
vote buying
were recorded. Intra-party
party conflicts within Zanu PF were more visible as the party saw real chances
of grabbing all the seats since the MDC
MDC-T was boycotting the elections. Many Zanu PF activists were
4