PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
Matabeleland South
Mashonaland Central
In Matabeleland South, six human rights violations
In Mashonaland Central, four human rights violations were
were documented. The violations affected 11 (8 men
documented, highlighting the intersection of political intolerance
and 3 women) people, reflecting a troubling mix of
and systemic failure in health service delivery. In Shamva, a victim
violence, mismanagement of aid, and disputes over
was attacked at a funeral by suspected ZANU PF supporters for
natural resources. In Gwanda, an elderly woman was
allegedly supporting the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change
attacked by two men shortly after receiving food aid
(CCC), illustrating ongoing politically motivated violence and the
with the intention of dispossessing her of the aid. In
suppression of freedom of association. In Mt Darwin, a district
Gwanda, a traditional leader was implicated in the
hospital, one of the region’s key referral centers, was found to be
misuse of cement donated for hospital construction,
critically under-resourced, with no available medicines and patients
raising concerns about abuse of authority and
routinely being instructed to purchase drugs from private
misappropriation of resources meant for essential
pharmacies. This has led to patients being turned away,
public services. Additionally, a violent conflict erupted
representing a clear violation of the right to health. Patients are also
among artisanal miners over control of a gold mine,
burdened with high user fees (USD 6 for consultations and USD 5
resulting in the mine owner being struck with an axe,
per day for admissions), forcing many to seek care at Karanda
an alarming indication of lawlessness and lack of
Mission Hospital, approximately 20 km away. These violations
effective regulation in the mining sector. These
demonstrate both the neglect of essential public services and the
incidents underscore weak community protections,
dangers faced by citizens due to politically charged environments.
poor accountability in aid and resource management,
and ongoing threats to the safety and dignity of
vulnerable citizens.
Matabeleland North
In Matabeleland North, six violations were recorded impacting 721 (350 men and 371 women)victims. The violations highlight
systemic service delivery failures and direct acts of violence. A woman was assaulted by a soldier in Lupane, reflecting
continued abuse of power by members of the security forces. At Lupaka Rural Health Centre, which serves five wards,
Tshongogwe, Matshiya, Lusulu, Lupaka, and part of St. Paul's critical shortages were reported. Patients with noncommunicable diseases could not access medication due to stockouts, forcing many to travel long distances to buy from
pharmacies, often unaffordable for rural communities. The clinic's dire lack of medical staff and essential equipment, such as
having only one blood pressure and one blood sugar machine, has resulted in long queues and delayed treatment. In a
particularly discriminatory practice, pregnant women were required to bring firewood before receiving maternity care. The
facility can only accommodate 15 women for delivery at a time, severely limiting maternal healthcare access. Meanwhile,
residents of Binga endured severe water shortages after a ZINWA pump breakdown on May 6. Though water was temporarily
restored, another failure occurred, exacerbating the crisis. Despite assurances from ZINWA, the unresolved and recurring
breakdowns disrupted daily life and raised urgent concerns over the state’s ability to guarantee basic rights to water and
health.