Zimbabwe Peace Project

#RRRV2023

FEBRUARY 2023
ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT
MONTHLY MONITORING REPORT

THE PERPETRATORS ARE KNOWN.
BEYOND REPORTING,
WE MUST RESIST & REJECT VIOLENCE
IN ZIMBABWE.

Select target paragraph3

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2023_ZPP MMR February 2023 - The Perpetrators are Known

Monthly Monitoring Report

Executive Summary: February, the month of love proved not to be so concerning the human rights situation. Though February is a shorter month, ZPP recorded 241 human rights violations, a slight increase from 231 in January 2023. 56% of the violations were of threats, harassment, and intimidation, 15% of discrimination and 13% of assaults. ZPP identified 1 722 victims of human rights violations (75% male, 24% female, 0.5% male persons with disability and 0.3% female PWDs). The general citizens populated the highest percentage of victims, 90%, and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters followed with 8%. Zanu PF party perpetrated the most violations (48%), followed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) at 17%. Midlands (38) and Mashonaland Central (33) provinces recorded the highest violations, whilst Matabeleland North (7) and South (12) and Bulawayo (12) had the lowest. The human rights situation across the country was characterized by widespread cases of harassment and intimidation of citizens in general and opposition members, especially in their gatherings which were systematically banned by the police in suspiciously politically influenced decisions. Inter-party violence was also recorded in Gokwe North, Kadoma, Sanyati, and Mazowe. There was also notable coercing of people in communities to join Zanu PF. In most communities the party is using cell lists to intimidate and ensure everyone appears on it. In some communities known or suspected supporters of other parties are being grafted into leadership roles at the level of the cell. Those who are spurning these demands which, infringe on section 58 of the Constitution, are targeted with assaults and discrimination when it comes to the distribution of food and agricultural inputs. Political space continues to shrink for the opposition and many people are not free to assert their rights in their communities. Threats and intimidation cases were most prevalent in Murehwa, Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, Mudzi, Gokwe Chireya, Kabuyuni, Gumunyu, Mkoba, Zvishavane Ngezi, Kambuzuma, Kuwadzana, Epworth Lupane, and Insiza, to name a few. Political intolerance is soaring, resulting in tensions that have the potential to breed more violence and electoral malpractices in the coming months. Most rural and some urban communities are not boding well for election season expected in a few months as rising tensions are keeping citizens in constant fear. They are being forced to attend meetings on a daily basis in some communities largely convened by traditional leaders some of whom are advising villagers to don ruling party regalia for ‘protection’. It is at these meetings and through door to door visits that villagers are coerced to have their names on the cell lists. In urban areas vending sites have become a target of the daily meetings where vendors seeking to maintain sources of livelihood are forced by officials of the ruling party to tow the line and religiously attend the meetings. he targeting of markets and vending sites is hardly new to the Zimbabwe landscape. A few years back ruling party affiliated ‘Mandimbandimba’ wreaked havoc at bus termini fleecing owners of commuter omnibus. Now the ruling party through some shadowy affiliates, ‘vendors4ED’, are causing havoc in some urban areas demanding USD1 a day for vendors to use undesignated sites rejecting local authority designated sites. As election season heats up volatility and tensions will best describe the situation facing the electorate. Women, young women and women with disabilities are the most vulnerable, they are the majority in rural areas, they make the bulk of vendors in most urban areas.

Documents

MMR February 2023.pdf
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