MAY
ZPP recorded 110 cases of harassment and intimidation, (the majority of which
are attributed to the state security agents), 13 cases of unlawful detention, 40
cases of assault and sadly, two extra judicial killings.
One of the major cases is that of an illegal miner who was shot in the head by a security guard in Shamva on
15 May 2020.
During the month of May, Harare recorded 100 cases of violations, the highest in the country, followed by
Mashonaland East with41 cases.
Attention was drawn to the efforts oftwo Bulawayo sisters, Nokuthula and Ntombizodwa Mpofu to get justice
after being arbitrarily arrested and assaulted by police. Police released the women following the intervention
of civil society organisations and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. The six offending
officers were subsequently arrested and have appeared in court.
A Bulawayo resident, Levison Ncube died as a result of injuries sustained after he was brutally assaulted by
police officers for violating lockdown regulations on the first day of the lockdown. Ncube’s family, with the
assistance of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, has indicated that they intend to sue the state for the
death of Levison.
The family of Munakopa mentioned earlier has written to the police requesting an independent inquiry into
the shooting that led to Paul’s death.
It must be noted that pressure from victims, citizens and civil society organizations is essential in the
promotion and protection of human rights as well as the seeking of justice.
The report focuses on how the State continues to perpetrate human rights violations during the COVID-19
crisis.
The COVID-19 induced national lockdown has exacerbated the pre-existing food insecurity. Although the
Zimbabwean economy is highly informal, the sector has been excluded from essential services thereby
increasing the vulnerability of citizens.
The distribution of aid continued to be largely partisan and discriminatory, with Mashonaland East recording
the highest food and other aid violations at 42.57 percent followed by Manicaland at 28.86 percent. (See
page 5)
This report highlights some of the cases of discrimination on food aid and provides an insight into the
government aid that was either grossly insufficient or did not reach the deserving beneficiaries. It also looks
at the discrepancies in government responses to COVID-19 and how these are impact on human rights in
Zimbabwe.
This month was also marked by an increased number of Zimbabweans returning from other countries.
Government’s unpreparedness to handle the returnees was exposed as some of them escaped quarantine
centres. The deplorable state of quarantine centres, and inadequate testing kits came under the spotlight.