PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK
Mashonaland West
In Mashonaland West, five human rights violations were recorded with the
most serious involving politically motivated violence and intimidation. In
Chinhoyi Ward 5, a victim was assaulted by unknown perpetrators who
accused him of being linked to the planned One Million Men March, a
mass demonstration called for by war veteran Blessed Geza, illustrating
how political association, real or perceived, continues to trigger targeted
attacks. In a disturbing incident in Mhondoro Ngezi, state security agents
stormed a girls’ soccer team and forcibly confiscated jerseys donated by
Member of Parliament Mutsa Murombedzi. The girls were stripped off the
jerseys in an attempt to discredit their association with the non-ruling party
Member of Parliament, violating their dignity and undermining efforts to
promote girls’ empowerment and protection from early marriage as well as
their freedom of association. Meanwhile, in Zvimba Ward 6, an elected
councillor was barred from attending an official district meeting because
he belongs to an opposition political party, despite ruling party officials
being in attendance reflecting heightened exclusionary governance and
the shrinking of democratic space. These violations demonstrate the
continued politicization of public life and civic participation.
Conclusion
Based on the October 2025 human rights monitoring data, Zimbabwe experienced a disturbing spectrum of
human rights violations that undermined civic freedoms, social equity, and community well-being. Across the
country, 116 violations affected 2,531 individuals, including persons with disabilities, highlighting the vulnerability of
marginalized groups. Citizens were subjected to forced displacements, politically motivated assaults, hate-driven
attacks, and threats of violence, while fundamental rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression
were routinely curtailed. Service delivery failures, including inadequate access to healthcare, water, sanitation,
and education, further compounded the deprivation of basic rights, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups
such as persons with disabilities, women, children, and opposition supporters. The actions of ruling party
supporters, local authorities, police, and traditional leaders illustrate how political power is often leveraged to
intimidate, coerce, and control communities, eroding public trust and reinforcing inequalities.
To address these violations, Zimbabwe urgently needs strengthened protection for civic and political rights,
equitable and transparent service delivery frameworks, and robust channels for reporting and redress that
safeguard victims from retaliation, ensuring that human rights are not only guaranteed on paper but upheld in
practice.