EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Zanu PF contributed to 73 percent of all human
rights violations followed by the police, which
contributed to nearly 16 percent
Suspected Zanu PF youths in Chinake Village,
Murehwa North on 8 March, set fire to a house
belonging to a CCC supporter. Food, farming
inputs and furniture were lost. PIC ZPPINFO
It was a long four weeks in March of 2022 when
Zimbabwe witnessed an unprecedented
increase in politically motivated human rights
violations designed to suppress campaigns by
the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change
(CCC) ahead of the by-elections held on March
26.
It was clear that President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s administration was not prepared
or willing to ensure free, fair and open political
and human rights friendly environment and
was prepared to do anything – hook or crookto take advantage of incumbency at election
time.
Zanu PF spokesperson, Christopher
Mutsvangwa confirmed this when he said while
addressing a press conference early March,
“I want to make it very clear, all over the world
an incumbent party has an advantage of being
in power to use the position of incumbency for
campaigning,” he said.
Mutsvangwa added that those that felt the state
broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation was not covering opposition
political party rallies should form their own
media houses.
This was a direct insult to the Constitution and
the laws of the land.
Section 61 (4) of the 2013 Constitution
implores state-controlled media to “afford fair
opportunity for the presentation of divergent
views and dissenting opinions”.
Section 160G of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13]
states that public broadcasters shall afford all
political parties and independent candidates
contesting an election such free access to their
broadcasting services.
It was therefore not a surprise that the ruling
Zanu PF contributed to 73 percent of all human
rights violations the ZPP recorded in March
followed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police,
which contributed to nearly 16 percent of
human rights violations.