violations where community members are forced
to attend Zanu PF rallies continue to occur despite
the Zimbabwe Constitution in Section 58 provides
that no person may be compelled to belong to an
association or to attend a meeting or gathering.
Other rights that were violated during the course
of May include property rights, freedom of
assembly and association. Cases of harassment and
intimidation were high and there is a likelihood
that they may be on an upward rise as the 2018
election campaigns intensify. Threat levels
currently vary across districts and the determinants
are also different. In Harare, Hwedza, Mutare and
Masvingo the threat level is mild due to cases of
assault, violations of freedom of association,
political rights, the right to education and the right
to food. The rest of the districts have a low threat
level as violations ranged between zero to nine.
Provinces with food aid programmes are fraught
with violations of the right to food. In May, 35 food
violations were recorded as compared to eleven
the previous month and ten in May 2016. Most
humanitarian organisations are reported to have
folded their food aid programmes targeting
vulnerable communities. Some village heads,
councillors and political party members have
threatened to hamper access to food and other
resources to people that do not align themselves to
Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 plebiscite.
Recommendations
Food violations are usually conversely related to
discrimination. Cases of discrimination escalated to
42 this month as Zanu PF supporters prepared for
the youth rally in Marondera in June and used food
to lure people to the rally. The impending
Chiwundura by-election, set for 15 July, is another
reason for the increased cases of discrimination.
Only 15 cases of discrimination were recorded in
April 2017, 16 cases in May 2016 and 15 cases in
May 2015. It is reported that in Zvimba and Zaka
Central, beneficiaries of food aid are told to first
pay for transportation of the food. When called for
comment,
an
international
humanitarian
organisation that was rolling out a food aid
programme said they were looking into cases of
village heads that are alleged to have ordered
beneficiaries to pay and mobile cash agents that
charge an extra fee when transacting for
beneficiaries.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education is encouraged to make a
statement on the payment of school fees
and turning away of students
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and
Social Welfare to address issues of
discrimination in food distribution
The police should stop using spikes as there
are other means to enforcing road rules
Political parties are urged to respect the
right to freedom of association and
assembly
Data Collection Methodology
Information contained herein is based on reports
from ZPP long-term community based human
rights monitors, who observe and record cases of
human rights violations in the constituencies they
reside. ZPP deploys a total of 420 communitybased primary peace monitors (two per each of the
210 electoral constituencies of Zimbabwe). The
monitors compile reports that are handed over to
ZPP Coordinators who man the different ZPP
regional offices in the ten administrative provinces
of Zimbabwe. Upon receipt and verification of the
reports from the monitors, the Coordinators
compile provincial monthly monitoring reports,
which are then consolidated at the national office
into the ZPP Monthly Monitoring Report published
Karoi recorded a loss of life. A clamp down on
illegal taxi operators turned violent when police
officers used spikes and a woman, Chiedza
Mandizvidza, was run over by a taxi fleeing
municipal police. She sustained serious injuries and
died at Chinhoyi Hospital. ZPP notes with dismay
the fatalities and injuries caused by the spikes
menace.
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