March 2019
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
pay $3 RTGS per household and those who did not have money were asked to provide 2kgs
of maize meal and an unspecified quantity of cooking oil. Discrimination constituted 16.9%,
theft/looting 11.3%, assaults 8.9% and displacement 5.6 % of the total recorded violations.
The province with the highest number of violations recorded in March is Mashonaland
Central with a total of 56 cases followed by Manicaland with 34 cases. Matabeleland North,
Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces recorded the lowest number of reported cases
with a collective of 12 violations.
Highlights of the month
Cyclone Idai- The cyclone left a trail of destruction and according to the International
Organisation for Migration (IOM), approximately 270,000 people were affected by
the cyclone. Victims were left in need of shelter, food, clean water, health facilities
and psychosocial support. A number of local, regional and international entities such
as the United Nations, United Arab Emirates, IOM, Christian Aid and USAID came
to the rescue of Zimbabwe by donating towards the victims of the cyclone. South
Africa, in addition to assisting with financial and other aid also assisted with sniffer
dogs to facilitate in efforts to find the missing.
Political leaders’ Cyclone Idai tour - Controversy surrounded the tour by leaders of
the two main political parties in Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu
PF and Advocate Nelson Chamisa of the MDC. The visits were viewed by some
sectors of the country as gestures to gain political momentum.
Politicisation of aid- ZPP noted the continued trajectory of partisan and politicisation
of food aid even during the tragic Cylone Idai. For example, in ward 9 Chimanimani
East at Chigwegwe Creche the local Councilor affiliated to Zanu PF and another party
member denied Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters relief aid as
they stated that only victims loyal to Zanu PF would receive the aid. In ward 4,
Guhune on 26 March 2019, four Zanu PF members were witnessed distributing relief
aid along partisan lines, denying MDC supporters aid. On 25 March in ward 10
Chimanimani East the ward councillor and some unidentified Zanu PF members
denied MDC supporters cyclone relief aid. This was even after the President had
urged Zimbabweans to put partisan politics aside for the sake of the cyclone victims.
A ban was imposed on Masvingo based Community Tolerance Reconciliation
and Development Trust (COTRAD) and Zimbabwe Association of Churches
and Hospitals (ZACH) on 11 March by government through the District
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