Nothing shines the spotlight brighter on the violation of the Freedom of Assembly and
Association than these prices that have to be paid by those citizens linked to the
opposition. Though the Constitution espouses this right in Chapter Four Section 58,
with impunity the ruling party using its vanguards in the form of the youths,
traditional leaders ensure unrelentingly that those associated with opposition parties
pay and pay dearly. Even when they are elderly, orphaned or vulnerable in other ways
as seen month in month out in reports from across the country, they are still made to
pay.
With such a hefty price to pay, it becomes clear that opposition politics in this country
are not for the faint hearted. Reports in the country since the beginning of the new
millennium are littered with many who have paid with their lives for diverse political
leanings. Yet, an incident in this report shows that as precarious as it might be to
resist the pressure to bow to Zanu-PF pressure some still dare. An elderly woman in
Murehwa North Ward 5, even at the risk of going without food aid, refused to chant
the Zanu-PF slogans she was instructed to do before receiving her allocation. Of
course her share was given to others more compliant members of the community. Yet,
such steel will exists even amongst the most vulnerable of society.
Political intolerance continues to see other violations of harassment and intimidation
and even physical assaults and verbal insults as this report shows. A total of 233
violations were captured by ZPP in the month of December alone with a majority of
them perpetrated by Zanu-PF and with most cases occurring in Mashonaland West 68
cases(29%) followed by Mashonaland Central with 37 cases (16%). Midlands also
rated quite highly with the third highest number of cases at 33 (14%).
The month of December also saw the scourge of relentless demolitions persisting.
Some 250 homes were razed to the ground by the Harare City Council in December in
Budiriro and Aspindale areas leaving hundreds of citizens homeless and stranded.
Clearly central and local government is failing in its bid to enable citizens to get
secure housing. Yet no compensation is forthcoming from any quarter and many more
remain vulnerable across the country in a nation where lawlessness has reigned
supreme in the parcelling out of the pieces of land.
With all these violations, a few million dollar questions beg answers: where is the
protection of citizens supposed to come from? If that protection does not reside in the
Constitution, where then?
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