Zimbabwe Peace Project

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Overview

The pandemic is here to stay. The emergence of the third
wave and complex variants requires that governments
integrate policies and practices that protect its citizens
from exposure and threat to life. The need for notable
shift and alignment of budget priorities to strengthen
healthcare delivery systems becomes inescapable,
particularly in Zimbabwe’s public care and support
centres. The Statutory Instrument 77 of 2020 which was
established to prevent, contain and treat COVID-19, the
Public Health Order, is largely restrictive and punitive.
The instrument pays more emphasis on what is not
allowed and punishment thereof and little on the
promotion of citizens’ well-being. Though the
vaccination programme rollout recorded the one
millionth jab, there is a need to address the livelihood
question and continued infringement of human rights.
The ﬁfth edition of the COVID-19 Accountability Tracker
covers related developments in the months April and
May 2021 focusing on documented human rights
violations and prejudices ensuing from the COVID-19
management measures instituted by the Government of
Zimbabwe.

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April-May2021_ZPP COVID 19 Accountability Tracker (May 2021)

Accountability Tracker

Executive Summary: The beginning of the period covered by the fifth edition of the COVID-19 Accountability Tracker was marked by the widely questioned launch of the COVID-19 Awareness Postage Stamp campaign. Officially unveiled on April 1st, 2021 by the Vice President General Retired Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, the effectiveness of the COVID-19 awareness stamp initiative which is argued to augment government’s programmes on the pandemic’s prevention and containment efforts by getting the message out on domestic, regional and international postage is highly questionable. Despite the world having moved significantly to embracing digital forms of communication, the not so thought through initiative exposes risks of contracting the virus through multiple physical contact points in the mailing system.The COVID-19 Accountability Tracker notes with concern the deep seated selective application of law and what is now widely termed weaponisation of COVID-19 to silence voices of conscience and human rights defenders. Human rights activist Makomborero Haruzivishe was on April 6th, 2021, sentenced to an effective fourteen (14) months in prison for inciting public violence and resisting arrest. Perpetually incarcerated rights activists Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova are facing charges of violating COVID-19 regulations in Zimbabwe. On April 22nd, 2021, Joana Mamombe was inhumanely hauled back to Chikurubi Prison from a hospital where she was getting treatment from incarceration ailments. On May 4th, 2021, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was arrested and detained for conducting a clean-up campaign in Harare’s oldest suburb Mbare without police clearance. Applications for police clearances by those regarded as anti-establishment are in nearly all cases, turned down citing tired arguments that the police do not have enough manpower to cover the activity or event. Meanwhile, the newly appointed Vice President of the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) Passion Java has been going on tours around the country and gathering large crowds but has not once been arrested for violation of the COVID-19 guidelines. Most if not all Zanu-PF meetings disregard COVID-19 prevention and containment measures, some of the meetings and gatherings include the unveiling of the Mbuya Nehanda statue at the corner of Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere on Africa day 25 May 2021 amidst a huge gathering. At the Mbuya Nehanda statue unveiling ceremony, a Zanu-PF youth identified as Bernard Chiteme was captured live on camera threatening to beat up people in the opposition, which act and statement had it been made by those regarded as anti-establishment would have been met with a manhunt, arrest and imprisonment.

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