June 2019
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Analysis
ZPP notes with increased concern how Zimbabwe is slowly sinking into another era of
despair and despondency. The economic situation is getting desperate as prices escalate while
rolling power cuts and water shortages have worsened the living conditions of many.
The recent re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar brings about a curious dynamic as
explained by our resident economist, “The fundamentals are not yet ripe for the country to
have its own currency due to persistent budget and trade deficits. The country is set for a
return to hyperinflation and this would bring shortages of goods causing further harm to the
population. The introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar will not help alleviate people’s financial
challenges because as we speak service providers have hiked prices in multiples of what they
perceive to be the currency depreciation while some suppliers of critical services are still
demanding hard currency. A case in point is that of health care service providers who are
demanding hard currency to access critical medical services. The heavy handedness on the
part of the authorities through hounding alleged currency foreign dealers and anyone buying
and selling goods and services in foreign currency is of particular concern.”
The recent threats peddled by Zanu PF and MDC youths is not what the country needs at the
moment. All political parties should preach peace and most importantly practice it.
Petitioning and peaceful demonstrations are clearly provided for in Section 59 of the
Zimbabwe constitution; therefore any citizen of Zimbabwe has the right to express their
displeasure which must never be perceived as a threat to the state. ZPP maintains that the
most reasonable and obvious way to deal with people’s concerns is to address them.
This is particularly more urgent given the shambolic health and service delivery state
whereby people cannot access the most basic of services. It is disconcerting that the reoccurrence of the Glen View health crisis is imminent given that the disease outbreak has
occurred time and time again. This is further exacerbated by lack of access to medication
from public health institutions. It is most tragic that our government sees it fit to spend huge
amounts of money on armoury (as reported in the Zimbabwe Independent 7 June) yet public
health institutions have effectively run out of medication. Policing has been affected as
officers do not have ammunition to fight crime. In this instance, it is becoming apparent how
misplaced government priorities are.
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