Executive Summary
Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) reported a surge in politically motivated violations during
November largely due to the by-election that was held in Chimanimani West and two
protests held in Harare. The Chimanimani West by-election that was held on 26 November
was marred by vote buying, village heads intimidating voters, assisted voting and heavy
police presence. Protests held on 18 and 30 November were against the introduction of
bond notes. Bond notes are a surrogate currency introduced by the government to ease
cash shortages. The protests, although peaceful, led to unlawful detention, harassment of
protesters by police and malicious damage to property. State security agents took measures
before the protests to stifle dissent through abducting and torturing two activists, assaulting
residents in Kuwadzana East and maintaining a heavy presence. In Marondera Boni
Tagwirei the MDC-T councillor for ward 3 together with two other party members were
arrested and unlawfully detained by the police after they had gone to Marondera Police
Station to give notice of a planned anti bond notes demonstration.
Apart from the above-mentioned irregular events, most violations are recorded in cases of
food and agricultural input distribution. The El Nino induced drought has meant that many
people, in both rural and urban areas, depend on food aid to avert starvation and
malnutrition. The beginning of the delayed rainy season has found most people without
adequate farming inputs thus the Food and Agriculture Organisation and government
through the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development as well as the
Targeted Command Agriculture scheme have been implemented.
During distributions of aid, claims are made that aid coming from government schemes is
provided for Zanu PF supporters only. For instance, this report states how some opposition
activists were blacklisted from receiving aid in Muzarabani North. In a sign of desperation
some opposition supporters in Bubi crossed the floor to join Zanu PF to ensure that they get
aid. With the impending Zanu PF conference people have also been coerced into
contributing varying amounts of money towards transport fares for Zanu PF members to
attend the party conference slated for Masvingo in December. As a result food and other aid
violations record the highest statistics.
In November food violations totalled 38 cases, while September had 44 cases and October
had the highest with 52. There has been a dip in the number of violations of the right to food
supposedly because concern was raised by ZPP, other civic organisations and recorded in a
report by Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to the extent of catching the
attention of the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
On the contrary, in November there was an increase in violations by type to 208 from 186 in
October. Fourty-four cases of violence were recorded in Harare with Mashonaland Central,
Mashonaland West, Manicaland and Mashonaland East recording 28, 26, 26 and 20
respectively. In November there were 116 cases of intimidation as compared to 88 in
October. Discrimination, which can be accounted for largely due to food and agricultural
input partisan distribution, was recorded 40 times in November and 51 times the previous
month. Another alarming statistic is that of assaults from 15 in October to 25 in November.
Increase in the number of cases of intimidation, discrimination and assault is worrisome
especially considering that Zimbabwe is approaching harmonised elections in 2018 and
history has it that violations increase during the pre-election period.
In November cases of intimidation are high most likely because traditional leaders and state
security agents are gearing up for the 2018 election and already employing different
5