Monthly Monitoring Report
January 2024
Key Human Rights Violations
Intimidation and Political Violence
ZPP recorded 15 cases where victims were threatened with violence and 7 cases of politically motivated
violence in the month of January. The cases recorded include inter-party violence where 2 ZANU PF
youths engaged in a physical fight with members of a member of CCC in Nyanga North after an
altercation over the 2023 elections results, resulting in the CCC member sustaining mouth injuries. Cases
of inter-party violence were also recorded in Harare where some members of the MDC Alliance were
assaulted by suspected CCC members at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House in the CBD. The majority
of the victims who were either threatened with violence or unspecified action are members of opposition
parties like the CCC. The cases of intimidation and harassment have escalated, from 10 in December
2023 to 15 in January 2024, especially after the opposition party leader Nelson Chamisa quit the party. In
Glenorah, Harare, ZANU PF youths led by a political commissar identified as Mr Kodza conducted a
community outreach programme advising residents of a process called “operation show us your national
identity card” which in its nature intimidated the community members with many living in fear. In Zvimba
North, a female victim who was deployed as a CCC polling election agent during the 23 August 2023
harmonised elections is living in fear following threats to eliminate her. She was threatened by ZANU PF
activist Martin Kativhu. Intimidation, with threats of violence or other harmful actions, hinder the
enjoyment of citizens’ political rights and other fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression and
freedom of assembly and association.
Violation on the right to adequate food
In January, ZANU PF distributed
food aid and government-sponsored agricultural inputs in a partisan
manner. The Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, has been largely politicised, disproportionately affecting
households with members of opposition political parties. More than 45 victims in areas like Mt Darwin and
Chikanga Dangamvura went home empty-handed after being denied farming inputs allocated under the
Pfumvudza scheme on the grounds of their affiliation to the opposition parties. In a similar fashion,
several CCC members were not included on the beneficiaries lists for bean rations being given to
households in Chimanimani. Section 77(b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that every person has
the right to sufficient food, and the politicisation of publicly sponsored food aid denies citizens their right
to sufficient food. These practices are meant to compel victims to participate in the ruling party’s political
activities further violating their political rights under Section 67 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe). Further
in Chimanimani West, ZANU PF leadership including Joseph Tuto gave out 1 kg to 2 kgs of beans to each
recipient while those in charge of distribution received at least 40 kgs each.
ZPP recommends that political parties must take punitive measures on their political
agents who violate other citizen’s political rights and fundamental freedoms.
ZPP strongly urges members of the public to report to the police any acts of abuse and
human rights violations they experience or witness as well as taking collective action to
advocate against such abuses.
ZPP urges the law enforcement agencies to investigate and take decisive action against
perpetrators of violence to foster a culture of peace and political tolerance.
ZPP recommends that the government investigates and ensure that all government
sponsored inputs and food aid are equally and non-discriminately distributed to
authentic beneficiaries
The government must investigate all cases of theft and fraud involving government aid
and perpetrators must be prosecuted.
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