Living on a prayer
The month of July has sadly not brought much to celebrate for Zimbabweans as the country is
cascading into the precipice of conflict amid a continued deterioration in living conditions. The
economy is officially experiencing hyperinflation as the Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL) has shed1
41.57% during this month alone, rolling power cuts of over 17 hours, evermore increasing
intimidation by mainly ruling party officials against a frustrated citizenry, as well as blatant
deprivation of food and other aid to people deemed to be opposition supporters.
The situation obtaining in the country shows deteriorating living conditions as mentioned above.
Most concerning is the harassment and intimidation of the public when they express their
frustrations about poor living conditions by mainly ruling party representatives. One such incident
happened in Beitbridge, Dulibadzimu Township when Finot Ndou threatened to kill Marshall
Mbedzi for criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
ZPP noted an increased involvement by war veterans in violations such as intimidation, assault and
coercion of people to contribute funds towards Heroes Day Celebrations coming up in August.
Sentiments expressed by Deputy Minister of Defense and War veterans Associations Victor
Matemadanda at a meeting in Gweru on 27 July that government will unleash the Zimbabwe
Defence Forces (ZDF) to crush any ‘violent’ protest have further highlighted the increasingly
prominent role that war veterans are playing in sowing fear and despondency.
Such incidents are indicative of continued increases in human rights violations, most prominently
cases of intimidation and harassment. These violations are on a steady increase from 57, 9% in
April, 57, 3% and 59, 3% in May and June respectively and this month we noted an increase to
62.6% recorded cases. This indicates a continuing toxic environment and notably these violations
are around food and other aid distribution. Mashonaland Central was the hotbed of violations
contributing 20.9% cases, followed by Mashonaland East at 19.4% while Manicaland and
Mashonaland West were an equal split of 14.7% each.
Previously, Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo provinces have recorded low cases of human
rights violations with an average of 2, 9% in the months of April and June. However, in July the
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