KEY VIOLATIONS
RIGHT TO PERSONAL SECURITY
ZPP in July recorded six violations emanating from incidents of assault and one case of inhuman treatment
linked to politically motivated violence. These incidents represent serious violations of the right to personal
security, bodily integrity, and protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as enshrined in the
Constitution of Zimbabwe and international human rights treaties.
In Epworth Ward 6, ahead of the August 2025 by-election, a young male, whose father is a former councilor
convicted for criminal abuse of duty, was forcibly abducted and assaulted by individuals affiliated with the
ruling political party. The perpetrators attacked him after a campaign rally, accused him of criticising the head
of state, and left him abandoned at a quarry dam. This act constitutes both political persecution and torture,
given the deliberate targeting, physical violence, and psychological harm inflicted. In Mazowe North, Ward 26,
a woman and her child were brutally attacked in their home by Moses Phiri, a ruling party district youth
Chairperson, who was in the company of 11 other perpetrators who claimed to be state security agents. The
assailants accused the victims' husband of being a threat to the ruling party and claimed he stole devolution
funds meant for supporting community development. The victim made a police report after one of the
perpetrators threatened her with a gun. Despite the severity of the attack and its public nature, law
enforcement officers failed to make any arrests, allegedly due to the political affiliation of the perpetrators.
These violations have a profound and chilling effect on communities, reinforcing fear and discouraging
participation in public life. They reflect a systematic abuse of political power to intimidate, punish, and silence
dissent, with discriminatory and gendered dimensions, as seen in the assault of a mother and child.
Artisanal Miners
7.8
%
School Authorities
8.1 %
16.8
%
Religious Leaders
RA
Traditional
Leaders
12.1
%
RS
TO
ZNA
PERP
ET
0.6
%
ZANU PF
Supporters
AFF
I
2.8
%
ION
12.7
%
14.6
%
Local councils
AT
1.2
%
LI
Government
officials
1.2
%
ZANU PF
Leadership
Unknown
Zimbabwe
Republic Police
22
%
5