tried to man handle the victim. Other vendors who witnessed the scuffle then intervened and assaulted
Katsvairo who was then rushed to Marondera Hospital and has since left for Botswana for medical
assistance. In a related case on 4 February villagers in Goromonzi North convened at Chinyika
Primary School Ward 4 to receive drought relief aid, comprising of lentils, cooking oil and maize grain.
A Zanu PF youth, Obey Murehwa whose father is a war veteran and a Zanu PF activist stole a box of
cooking oil during the distribution. This angered other beneficiaries who then took the law into their
hands and assaulted him with open fists.
Police’s heavy handedness when dealing with citizens is a cause for concern. They indiscriminately
assaulted citizens including those that were going about their business in Chitungwiza on 29 February.
They conducted door to door operations assaulting citizens. This behaviour by the police is contrary to
the provisions of the Constitution in Sections 51 and 52 which guarantee citizens the right to human
dignity and personal security. In terms of Section 219 of the Constitution, the police have a duty to
protect and secure the lives and property of citizens and uphold the Constitution of Zimbabwe. It is
unfortunate that the law enforcement mechanisms exercised by the police have not been aligned with
the mandate of the Police Service in Zimbabwe. There is a pressing and urgent need for the police to
implement the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry among them to reform
particularly on crowd control mechanisms.
What to look out for…
1.
The Constitutional Amendment (No.2) Bill which was
Gazetted on 31 December 2019 and on 17
January 2020 has left Zimbabwean citizens with mixed reactions. A total of 27 amendments are being
proposed. An analysis of the Bill can be accessed on the following link: http://www.veritaszim.net/node/3855.
Citizens should look out for the publication of dates and venues for the Parliamentary public hearings on the
Bill.
2.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced on the 8th of February 2020 that the Independent
Complaints Mechanism Bill will be enacted before the end of the year. The Bill is in accordance with Section
210 of the Constitution and it creates an independent and effective complaints mechanism for receiving and
investigating complaints from members of the public about the misconduct by the members of the security
services. This development if implemented will ensure that
victims have a mechanism to hold the State accountable for
the various atrocities that are perpetrated by the security
The organisation was founded in 2000 by church-based and
human rights organisations. The current members of ZPP are
agents.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council
3.
Protests are likely to persist as there are no clear
of Churches (ZCC), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace
steps
being
taken to resolve the socio-economic and
in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ), Counselling Services Unit (CSU),
political crises. The police’s violent response to protests is
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), Civic
Education Network Trust (CIVNET), Women’s Coalition of
likely to continue as history undoubtedly keeps on repeating
Zimbabwe (WCoZ), National Association for the Care of the
itself in this context.
ABOUT ZPP
Handicapped (NASCOH) and Women and Law in Southern
Africa (WLSA).
ZPP was established with the objective of monitoring,
documenting and building peace and promoting the peaceful
resolution of disputes and conflicts. The Zimbabwe Peace
Project seeks to foster dialogue and political tolerance through
non-partisan peace monitoring activities, mainly through
monitors who document the violations of rights in the provinces.
The monitors, who at full complement stand at 420, constitute
the core pool of volunteers, supported by four Regional
Coordinators. The Regional Coordinators relate with the
national office headed by the National Director and programme
In light of what Zimbabwe is experiencing, ZPP calls
for:
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