KEY VIOLATIONS
In UMP, Museka District, Mashonaland East Province, coercive tactics continued as the local ZANU PF branch
chairperson Elias T. Svowa demanded villagers purchase party cards for $3 under threat of being denied
access to critical community services such as veterinary care and social aid. The targeting of pensioners with
threats of retribution underscores the systemic use of party machinery to enforce political conformity and
punish dissent.
These violations are not isolated incidents; they reflect a systematic pattern of using fear, coercion, and the
abuse of authority to stifle fundamental freedoms. ZPP urges law enforcement agencies to conduct impartial
and thorough investigations into all reported incidents and ensure accountability.
RIGHT TO PERSONAL SECURITY
In May, the Zimbabwe Peace Project documented 14 human rights violations affecting 37 (24 men and 13
women) people, reflecting a disturbing pattern of politically motivated violence and the continued use of
excessive force by state actors, including members of the police and military. These violations constitute
serious breaches of constitutionally protected rights, particularly the right to personal security, freedom of
assembly, and freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. In Gutu Central, Ward 34, patients
at Gutu rural health facility were denied essential medical treatment after nurses allegedly diverted
medication for personal use. While the theft was appropriately reported, the response by law enforcement
was unlawful, CID officers reportedly beat the nurses during interrogation, a clear case of police brutality
that violates both domestic and international norms against torture. In Chitungwiza, four male members of
the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) were physically attacked by members of the MDC-A
after attending a Workers’ Day commemorations. The victims were accused of political betrayal and labeled
as “sellouts,” a blatant expression of political intolerance and suppression of political plurality. In Gwanda,
Matabeleland South, a couple was assaulted by a community member of unknown affiliation for merely
attending a meeting hosted by an opposition political party, while in Shamva, Mashonaland Central, a man
was attacked by ZANU PF youths at a funeral after being accused of supporting the CCC, highlighting the
erosion of safe civic spaces even in sacred communal contexts such as funerals. In another egregious case in
Chimanimani, Manicaland Province, a woman and her son were severely beaten by Zimbabwe Republic
Police officers under the allegation of causing a forest fire, further demonstrating the unchecked use of force
by law enforcement. These incidents not only underscore the systematic abuse of power and politicisation of
public institutions but also reflect a climate of fear and impunity that continues to silence ordinary citizens
and undermine democratic participation. The repeated use of violence to settle political disputes and the
failure to adhere to due process in law enforcement gravely threaten the enjoyment of basic human rights
and dignity in Zimbabwe.
Report
Human Rights Violations
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