JULY 2017
been forced to attend rallies forgoing classes resulting in
right to education being violated. At the Lupane rally
that was held at Somhlolo Stadium about eight schools
were forced to ensure attendance of students. The
schools Mabhikwa, Jotsholo and Fatima secondary
schools, Lupane, Mtshibini, Kusile, and Roman Catholic
primary schools. Civil and political rights have also been
violated, in particular the right to freedom of association
and assembly when people are forced to attend the
ZanuPF rallies. ZPP recorded 34 incidences of this
nature.
provinces remained low. Harare, Mashonaland East and
Central owe their rankings to the violation of freedom to
demonstrate and petition compounded by cases of
intimidation and harassment as well as discrimination.
In July there were socio economic rights violations
where school administrators have continued to bar pupils
from attending classes based on the parents’ inability to
pay school fees in full. Schools that have turned away
learners include Kapotesa, Nharira, Forrester J P and St
Nicholas primary schools. Schools continue to expel
students despite that mid-year examinations are
underway. Some school heads have been accused of
even turning away exam classes like grade sevens.
According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment
Committee (ZimVac) 2017 Rural Livelihoods
assessment, 63% of learners in rural areas have been
turned away for failure to pay school fees. With such
huge figures Zimbabwe faces challenges of realising the
Sustainable Development Goals and in the case of
primary education the stance is ultra vires section 75 (1)
(a) which provides for a basic state funded education.
Some statements at the rallies have been noted to have
the potential of inciting political violence. At the rally in
Matabeleland North, President Robert Mugabe said,
“….there are groups that move around beating people.
No, that is not our way of doing things. If you see them,
give them the punishment they deserve. Do not even wait
for the police to come.’’ Other statements have incited a
fresh wave of farm invasions by ZanuPF youths as the
President continues to encourage the youths to take back
land. For instance on 2 June at the Marondera rally
President Mugabe said, “We are going to take those
farms and re-distribute to our youths, some of whom did
not benefit from the land reform programme.’’ At
another presidential youth interface rally that was held in
Masvingo on 30 June ZanuPF secretary of youth affairs,
Kudzanai Chipanga urged President Mugabe to make
land available in the province for the youth.
DATA GATHERING
Information contained herein is based on reports from
ZPP long-term community based human rights monitors,
who observe and record cases of human rights violations
in the constituencies they reside. ZPP deploys a total of
420 community-based primary peace monitors (two per
each of the 210 electoral constituencies of Zimbabwe).
The monitors compile reports that are handed over to
ZPP Coordinators who man the different ZPP regional
offices in the ten administrative provinces of Zimbabwe.
Upon receipt and verification of the reports from the
monitors, the Coordinators compile provincial monthly
monitoring reports, which are then consolidated at the
national office into the ZPP Monthly Monitoring Report.
This report contains some of the violations recorded by
ZPP, the organisation has a data base with the rest of the
injustices and gladly shares it with interested
stakeholders.
Village heads and other community leaders continue to
contribute to the upward surge of human rights
violations. This report has cases of people threatened
with eviction for deviating from supporting ZanuPF. In
Binga North, Sanyati, Chiwundura, Muzarabani South,
Mazowe West and Mudzi North community leaders are
on record threatening those in the opposition with
eviction if they do not support or vote for ZanuPF.
Food violations slightly increased with 25 recorded
during the month of July from 18 recorded the previous
month. The highest were recorded in Matabeleland
North (7) and Mashonaland Central (6). ZanuPF
officials usually take charge of food aid distribution and
take advantage of power and side-line those with
divergent views. Harare, Mashonaland East and Central
recorded medium threat levels while the rest of the
5