Manicaland
In Manicaland 27 violations were recorded, a drop from 34 recorded in July.
Among the violations were the partisan food distribution. There were incidents of
intimidation and harassment of citizens by members of the ruling party and state
security personnel. In most districts, there were reports of patrolling soldiers
and security personnel carrying firearms. In some areas such as Buhera, the
operations led to assaults. Partisan food distribution of food aid has exacerbated
food insecurity already caused by the El Nino induced drought. Some of the
victims interviewed by ZPP displayed their dismay, fear and desperation citing
the need for a revisit of the system and the protection of victims who report
discrimination and corrupt tendencies regarding food aid. Manicaland has a high
rate of human rights violations, with more than 19 incidents of partisan
distribution of food aid having been recorded recently.
Midlands
There were 15 human rights
violations in Midlands Province, up
from 13 in July. State security
agents harassed CCC party leaders
and volunteers. Some of the notable
cases include Felix Rambanapasi, a
CCC activist, who narrowly escaped
from an attempted abduction by four
ZANU PF youths. On a different
occasion, 6 ZANU PF members
confronted
a
Nelson
Chamisa
supporter in Chiwundura ward 11,
harassed him and urged him to find
another clinic, denying him access to
medical care at St Patrick clinic. Two
other people in Gweru, who are
influential supporters of the Blue
Movement which supports Nelson
Chamisa, reported that they were
being monitored by individuals they
thought were state agents driving
two unregistered vehicles. This
suggested a persisting culture of
political intolerance in Zimbabwe.
Matabeleland North
Six violations were documented in
Matabeleland
North
in
August,
compared to seventeen in July. Partisan
distribution of food aid and agricultural
inputs and intimidation and harassment
were
among
the
key
violations
documented.
Among
the
notable
incidents is the intimidation of civilians
by police and military patrols in places
like Lupane West and Hwange Central
before the SADC Summit. In an incident
affecting the citizens’ access to
agricultural land, over 60 non-ruling
party members were discriminated
against as the Agritex staff from the
Binga district, allocated community
plots of land to grow vegetables, an
exercise which benefited only ruling
party supporters. The equitable sharing
of national resources, including land,
and the upholding of fundamental
freedoms and rights are some of the
constitution's founding values and
principles, however the disregard of
such rights and principles.
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