PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
Matabeleland North
Matabeleland North Province recorded eight human rights violations in December, involving political
discrimination, violence, and exclusion from state-supported programmes. In Binga North and Tsholotsho North,
government agricultural and empowerment programmes were implemented in a partisan manner, with opposition
supporters excluded from fertiliser, seed, and poultry distribution schemes, undermining the rights to equality, nondiscrimination, food, and livelihoods. One distribution point recorded violence and intimidation when women
perceived to support the opposition challenged unaffordable costs attached to a poultry empowerment
programme, highlighting the lack of neutrality in development initiatives. The province also recorded politically
motivated discrimination in access to education support, where a student faced exclusion from a state-funded
scholarship due to perceived opposition affiliation, violating the right to education and freedom from political
persecution. Similar patterns of political vetting and intimidation were reported in other sectors, including
recruitment into state institutions.
Matabeleland South
Matabeleland South Province recorded five human rights violations in December, with the most serious relating to
environmental harm and its impact on community well-being. In Gwanda District, operations at the Gwanda
Lithium Mine have caused severe dust pollution and extensive road damage, adversely affecting surrounding
communities, including children. These conditions raise concerns about violations of the rights to health, a clean
and safe environment, and human dignity. Community leaders, councillors, and traditional authorities formally
raised these concerns during a full council meeting, citing a lack of transparency and accountability by the mining
company. The calls for urgent government intervention reflect broader grievances shared by affected residents.
Similar environmental and governance concerns were reported in other areas of the province, indicating a
recurring pattern of extractive activities proceeding without adequate safeguards or meaningful community
consultation.
Conclusion
The findings of this report demonstrate that while Zimbabwe has frameworks and platforms aimed at promoting
peace, dialogue, and human rights, lived realities for many citizens remain characterised by insecurity, exclusion,
and inequality. Persistent politicisation of state resources, excessive use of force, discrimination, and impunity
continue to erode public trust and civic space. Sustainable peace cannot be realised in the absence of
accountability, respect for human rights, and equitable access to basic services. Addressing food insecurity,
protecting civil and political freedoms, and depoliticising humanitarian assistance are urgent priorities. Meaningful
progress will require genuine political will, strengthened institutions, inclusive dialogue translated into action, and
a people-centred approach that places human dignity, equality, and justice at the core of national development
efforts.