Round Up
In the month of September, ZPPrecorded 146 human
rights violations, a decrease from 384 in August 2023.
Fifty eight percent of the violations were of threats,
harassment, and intimation, 19% of discrimination and
6% of Theft. ZPP identified 563 victims of human
rights violations (52% male, 45% female, 0.71% male
persons with disability and 1.07% female PWDs). The
general citizens populated the highest percentage of
victims, 74 percent, and Citizens Coalition for Change
(CCC) supporters followed with 23%. Zanu PF party
perpetrated most of the violations (68%), followed by
the Forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ) at 7%.
Manicaland (27) and Midlands (26) provinces
recorded
the
highest
violations,
whilst
MatabelelandNorth (4) and Bulawayo (4) had the
lowest
ZPP documented human rights violations in all ten of
Zimbabwe's provinces throughout the month of
September and commemorated the International Day
of Peace in Matabeleland South, Matobo district to
build peace and resilience in the community following
a wave of violence that marred the October 2022 byelections. Some women from the opposition Citizens
Coalition for Change (CCC) were stripped naked and
sexually assaulted by suspected Zanu PF supporters
following a trail of violence in the community ahead of
October 2022 by-elections. . ZPP in coordination and
collaboration with community ambassadors and local
traditional leaders held commemorations in ward 9 of
Matobo where stakeholders converged to shun
violence and promote peace after the 2023
harmonised elections.
In terms of the contextual environment, the disputed
elections, and the unpredictable unstable political
environment post-election phase contributed to the
deteriorating human rights situation across the
country. Zanu PF activists held post-election
meetings in some parts of the country where citizens
were harassed and accused of voting for the
opposition CCC party and its candidates.
The wave of post-election violence continued to
haunt opposition supporters in Manicaland, Masvingo,
Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, and some
parts of the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces. In
Mutasa Central, some village heads were accused of
failing to reign in their subjects for them to vote for
the ruling Zanu PF party and its candidates.
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NEHANDA RADIO
Traditional leaders found themselves under target
and scrutiny from Zanu PF district leaders who
threatened to demote them and replace them with
ruling party loyalists. In wards 6 and 10 of Mutasa
Central, some village heads were reportedly
advised that their leadership would cease to exist
for not encouraging their subjects to vote for Zanu
PF. In some of the meetings that were convened
across the country, known Zanu PF activists
declared that all perceived CCC supporters would
not benefit from government inputs or rations
sponsored under the Pfumvudza Presidential aid
scheme meant to boost Zimbabwe’s food security.
ZPP condemns the threats to deny citizens food aid
on the basis of political affiliation which is a leap
backward from democracy and constitutionalism in
Zimbabwe.
The right to adequate food is enshrined in the
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Zimbabwe is a
party to. The enjoyment of all human rights,
including those guaranteed by the African Charter
on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of
Children, the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to all of
which Zimbabwe is a party, depends on having
access to adequate food. Furthermore, Article 11 of
the ICESCR establishes “the right of everyone to
an adequate standard of living…including
adequate food” and recognizes “the fundamental
right of everyone to be free from hunger”.
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