KEY VIOLATIONS
VIOLATIONS OF FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION: SILENCING
PARTICIPATION AND ERODING CIVIC SPACE
31 violations of the rights to freedom of assembly and association were documented. The freedoms are
protected under Section 58 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and internationally under the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Zimbabwe is a state party . In Kuwadzana 5 and
Kuwadzana 7, residents under the Green Valley Housing Cooperative were coerced into attending Sydney
Gata national heroes' burial at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. Under the guise of defending their
residential rights, community members were forcibly transported to the burial of a ruling party official. Many
complied out of fear, not genuine allegiance, an indicator of invisible coercion and social control on the part
of the ruling party activists identified as Pastor Musoro and Brain Muzembi. In Guruve North Constituency,
village heads were actively compiling household registers and compelling village secretaries to gather
personal information of villagers for submission to ruling party offices as part of the ZANU PF District and Cell
Structures mobilisation drive. This forced enrollment into party structures, often without consent, violates not
only the right to freedom of association but also the right to privacy and protection from political
discrimination. In a separate incident of violation of freedom of assembly and association, a violent disruption
of a book launch in Masvingo further highlighted the intolerance for alternative political narratives. A group of
youth affiliated with the ruling party attacked the book launch of former legislator and opposition leader Job
Sikhala, destroying property, assaulting guests, and intimidating authors and attendees, under the apparent
protection of ruling party leaders. This reflects a culture of political intolerance, where politically affiliated
violence is used to trump intellectual freedom and freedom of expression under the veil of partisan protection.
In Kadoma, Mashonaland West, over 400 men gathered for a wellness conference focusing on prostate cancer
and responsible leadership were abruptly dispersed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police under the guise of lack
of proper sanitation facilities. Despite prior approval by the police, the event held at an established church
venue was shut down midway, with a retrospective excuse of health concerns. The conference, organised by
an opposition party Member of Parliament Gift Mambipiri, was non-political in nature, yet it was targeted,
clearly indicating selective application of the law and political profiling. The disruption not only denied
participants access to life-saving health information but also sent a chilling message to citizens seeking to
gather peacefully for civic or developmental causes.
Each of these incidents represents more than a technical breach of constitutional rights, they reflect a
systematic erosion of democratic freedoms. These rights are foundational to democratic participation,
enabling individuals and communities to express collective will, access information, and participate freely in
political, cultural, and civic life.
JULY VIOLATIONS
0
Restricted freedom of assembly and association
Threats of Violence
Restricted access to social services
Restrictred Freedom of Expression
MDP
Other
Assault
Unfair distribution of food aid
Displacement
Unjustified arrest
Restricted access to information
Hate speech
Disappearances
Inhuman treatment
Report
Human Rights Violations
20
31
24
15
12
7
7
6
5
5
4
2
1
1
1
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