complaining about the many road blocks on the highway on 29/06/16,. The drivers
told the radio presenters that they were fed up with police harassment and wanted the
message to be made public. The radio station wanted to know why the kombi drivers
had not gone directly to the police to present their grievances and their response was
that they could not go to the very people who were persecuting them. They felt that
the numerous police road blocks were violating their rights to make a living as they
continued to be made to pay fines.
The residents of Gweru led by the Gweru Residence and Rate Payers Association on
29 June,intended to hold a peaceful demonstration in the city centre. The issue at hand
was to protest against what they called the “overstay “of the commission running the
affairs of Gweru town appointed by Local Government Minister Kasukuwere. It is
reported that a day before the demonstration, the organizers of the march received text
messages from unknown numbers threatening them with unspecified action should
they proceed with their march. Although the police had been informed about the
demonstration and given their nod on the day of the demonstration the police changed
their stance. As a result of this, the peaceful march failed to take place. This is a clear
demonstration that the right to demonstrate and petition according to section 59 of the
Constitution was violated.
On 30/06/16 in Mashove village ward 12 Gokwe Nemangwe, Edward Sigauke* a
ZimPF coordinator was verbally harassed and nearly suffered physical harm and/or
assault when he called for a ZimPF party meeting at Nemangwe centre to try and set
up party political structures. A Zanu PF member Rangarirai Timire the chairperson of
the area is understood to have approached the victim and told him that Nemangwe is a
no-go-area for opposition party politics especially to former Vice President Mujuru’s
party. The meeting eventually failed to take place as the victim feared for his life and
in the process the freedom to assemble was violated.
FOOD AND OTHER VIOLATIONS
Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Submission to the
Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights on Social Welfare
Assistance
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social
Welfare Mr Ngoni Masoka made a submission to the Parliamentary Thematic
Committee on Human Rights focusing on social welfare assistance, food deficit
mitigation strategy, drought management and Basic Education Assistance
Module (BEAM). The submission was made on June 15.
The Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare implements the
Harmonised Social Cash Transfers Programme on behalf of the government of
Zimbabwe. This is a programme meant to provide cash transfers for vulnerable
households in the country. The scheme targets those who are labour constrained
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