The beginning of the month was characterized by renewed crackdown on people’s freedoms. This was after, on July
31, government deployed state security agents to thwart an anticipated demonstration against corruption. Over 70
activists were arrested for either holding one- person demonstrations where they just held a placard denouncing
corruption and calling for the respect for human rights, or for simply being out walking.
With Zimbabwe in the international spotlight again, this August was reminiscent August of the past two years.
In August 2018, the army shot people in the streets, and a year later, on August 16, 2019, police used brute force to
thwart an MDC Alliance demonstration in Harare.
What was different about August 2020 was that this time, there was greater consensus that the government had
shredded the Constitution and tossed it into the bin, rolled sleeves and got itself prepared to a bare-knuckle fight
with its people and below are some of the reasons to explain this:
1. On August 4, President Mnangagwa, in an unexpected speech, declared that his government was facing
“many hurdles and attacks” and that “the bad apples who have attempted to divide our people and to
weaken our systems would be flushed out”. This clearly explained the source of the process to crack down
on citizens who were simply expressing their disquiet over the situation. The President’s statement was in
stark contrast to what he said, ironically, in August 2018, on his inauguration. “Today the Republic of
Zimbabwe renews itself. My government will work towards ensuring that the pillars of the state
assuring democracy in our land are strengthened and respected,” he said then.
2. As President Mnangagwa made his statement, promising to ‘flush out’ ‘bad apples’, the Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights was representing over 20 people arrested over the thwarted July 31 demonstrations. The
dozens arrested were facing charges related to inciting violence, and for some, violating Covid19 lockdown
regulations. Once again Covid19 was used as a pretext to limit people’s freedoms as has been happening
since April. On the same day, activist Tawanda Muchehiwa, abducted on July 30, was recovering after
having endured three days of torture. He later published details of his abduction, which linked the State to
the act. Watch the video here and read his account here
3. In addition to the local Civic Society Organisations, the United States, United Kingdom, European Union
and others who issued statements condemning the repression, the local clergy, under the Zimbabwe
Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), published a Pastoral Letter, titled, “the March is not ended”. In this
statement, ZCBC called out government to uphold the law and stop the apparent abuse of power. In
response, government chose to target and launch a tribal attack on the Archbishop of Harare, Robert
Christopher Ndlovu, accusing him of being evil minded and misguided. The ZCBC received local and
international solidarity. This episode clearly showed that government had resolved not to listen to the
people’s genuine concerns, and instead, was on a path to ‘flushing out’ any voices that were courageous
enough to speak out against the repression.
4. In addition to keeping journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, opposition political leader Jacob Ngarivhume, and MDC
Alliance youth leader Godfrey Kurauone detained, and denying them some of their basic rights, government
arrested MDC Vice Chairperson Job Sikhala. His court appearance was filled with dramatic episodes of
police brutality targeting those that had gone to court in solidarity with him. Watch one of the videos of the
brutality here. At one point, the police briefly detained Sikhala’a lawyer Jeremiah Bamu.
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