’
THE BUILD-UP: On June 5, 2020, journalist Hopewell Chin’ono tweeted, “My life is in danger
after Zanu PF attacked me personally through their spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa. I am a
trained journalist, if I have said something that is not true, legal remedies are there.”
This was after Chinamasa had made direct reference to Chin’ono’s investigative journalism,
which had unearthed a US$60m scandal that involved the First Family.
Chinamasa had earlier said “Zanu PF has noted with concern the systematic wellchoreographed and sponsored attacks on the integrity of the First Family by unscrupulous
characters such as Hopewell Chin’ono this time targeting the President’s son (Collins)”
This was a build up to everything that later happened in July 2020. Chin’ono, other journalists
and media houses, notably Zimlive, The ZimMorning Post and The Zimbabwe Independent
went on to expose the deep-seated corruption, nepotism and misplaced priorities in
government.
The other major scandal unearthed in June was that President Mnangagwa’s close ally Kuda
Tagwirei, who has all along pocketed millions of dollars through dodgy state contracts, was to
buy a fresh fleet of buses, and sell them to government at a 100 percent profit of US$54 million.
Government showed no remorse for splurging taxpayers’ money on misplaced, corrupt deals.
The country’s abandoned health sector was in a state of collapse and the lockdown restrictions
had a serious negative impact on the majority who rely on informal work. The rich were getting
richer, the poor getting poorer.
AN ANGRY STATE: It was on the basis of the analysis in 2.1 that the month of July started
with the State in a state of apprehension and this was made worse by the announcement of
the July 31 demonstrations.
The excesses of those in government were being exposed and the populace was not amused
as the same government was failing to show commitment to meet its welfare obligations.
The government felt under siege and cornered, like one caught with their hand in the cookie
jar.
Yet all people were asking for was accountability, transparency and those in government to do
what they swore to do, and that is to serve the people of Zimbabwe with due diligence.
Instead, the government escalated its attacks on the very same people it is supposed to serve.
To the cornered government, the Constitution or human rights did not matter anymore and
citizens were now supposed to live in perpetual fear.
In essence, the State, during the month of July, deployed more state security agents mainly in
urban areas, under the guise of Covid-19 lockdown regulations enforcement.
Throughout the month, ruling party and government took turns to issue intimidatory messages,
which manifested in the subsequent crackdown on citizens expressing themselves.
WHAT THEY SAID AHEAD OF JULY 31
“This time, no! Use any means at your disposal to defend yourselves and we are saying this unambiguously.”
Zanu PF Acting Spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa's message to Zanu PF supporters
“…the intended reckless ‘demonstrations’ of July 31, 2020 are banned…Anyone who disregards this warning and
proceeds to join the planned insurrection to steal power will be met by the full wrath of the law,”
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe
“I want to warn the organisers of this ill-fated demonstration that our security services will be vigilant and on high alert
to appropriately respond to their shenanigans. “
Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa’
“People in Zanu … are also ready to revenge when they are provoked,”
Zanu PF youth leader Tendai Chirau
5