The ruling Zanu PF party has been found complicit in human rights violations across Zimbabwe amid an escalation in harassment, intimidation and extra-judicial killings of citizens.
According to the latest Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) report, the human rights watchdog says it documented 145 violations of human rights, which included harassment and intimidation, violations against equality, and non-discrimination, abduction, arbitrary eviction, extra-judicial killing, unlawful detention, theft, and assault.
The report noted 69.41% of the perpetrators were affiliated with the ruling party, Zanu PF, while 8.53% were traditional leaders. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) accounted for 7.94% of the perpetrators while members of the defence forces and municipal officers accounted for 5.29% and 2.94% respectively.
Members affiliated with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) constituted 1.47% of the perpetrators while 4.41% were not affiliated with any group or institution.
ZPP documented 27 violations in Manicaland Province, 20 in Mashonaland East, 16 in Masvingo, 15 in Midlands, 14 in Harare Province and 13 in Mashonaland Central. Bulawayo and
Matabeleland South provinces each recorded four violations while Matabeleland North recorded three human rights violations.
Mashonaland West recorded the largest number of violations of human rights violations standing at 29 violations, up from 17 in March.
"In three incidents, members of the defence forces have been recorded harassing and assaulting civilians. In Chegutu West, Ward 32 members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) wearing red berets, raided Springs of Grace Academy College on 11 April and harassed teachers accusing them of conducting holiday lessons against government policy.
"The soldiers jumped over the school gate and harassed teachers during time for classes leaving both class practitioners and students terrified. Later that day, the soldiers reportedly carried out a similar raid at Pfupajena Government School in ward 6 and teachers present ran for their lives leaving learners in classes," reads the report.
Still in Mashonaland West, at Baguta Farm Compound in Chinhoyi, two security guards shot and killed a man while trying to disperse a crowd that had gathered in an attempt to scrounge for left over maize cobs in the fields at the farm.
In a statement, police said the now deceased had charged at the guards, armed with a knife when he was shot dead by security guards hired by the farm owner. Section 48 of the Zimbabwean Constitution states that every person has the right to life.
The ZPP report also noted that on April 29, in Gweru central business district, around 10 members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) raided and physically assaulted street moneychangers.
"Eight males were assaulted using sjamboks.The victims were later released by the army officers and no arrests were made.The assault, a violation of the right to personal security (Section 52), followed the Vice President of Zimbabwe, Constantino Chiwenga's remarks threatening violence on moneychangers."
He said, "We wouldn't want you (moneychangers) to end up being crippled after being attacked" during his address to Zanu PF supporters in Harare East ahead of the April 27 by elections.
"This occurred at a time of the introduction of a new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the government's efforts to curb speculation and illegal trading in foreign currency.
"The Defence Forces, according to Section 211 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, must 'respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and be non-partisan.'
"The degrading treatment of teachers and money changers by soldiers may induce fear and effects of psychological torture in the victims. The violation of the victims' right to personal security shows a disregard of the constitutional mandate of the security forces to protect the people of Zimbabwe and uphold the Constitution as stated in Section 212," the report further highlighted.
"In the month of April, the ZPP recorded incidents where citizens were forced to contribute money, food and other resources towards 18 April
Independence Day celebrations held across the country.
"Zanu PF leaders and traditional leaders were at the centre of enforcing the demands. Contributions were demanded in the form of money ranging from USD$1 to USD$5 per individual."
In April, ZPP said it also recorded violations of the right to personal security, and cases of intimidation and harassment.
"A 37-year-old male CCC activist was brutally assaulted by a group of eight Zanu PF youths in Epworth South, Overspill area in ward 7. The assailants, wearing the ruling party's T-shirts, accused the victim of supporting Nelson Chamisa and that he was associated with Zimbabwean sanctions and the suffering of citizens.
"In Kadoma Central five CCC youths were brutally assaulted by Zanu PF youths at
Machipisa shopping centre in Ward 2. A mob of ruling party youths descended on the victims with sticks accusing them of standing adjacent to Zanu PF offices.The
victims were standing along the road looking for transport when the perpetrators descended on them. The incident happened in full view of some police officers who neither intervened nor assisted the victims who sustained serious injuries," the dossier noted.
Former Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna is said to have threatened the management of Kajombo Mine with unspecified action for employing workers affiliated with the opposition political parties.
"Nduna approached the management ofthe mine and accused them of employing Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters instead of Zanu PF supporters.He claimed unemployed ruling party members are suffering,
described the workers aligned tothe CCC as enemies and threatened to disrupt
normal operations," the report noted.
He said, "vanhu vemusangano varikutambura kutsvaka mabasa
imwi muchipinza mhandudzeCCC zvino hapasikuzoshandika",(ruling party
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members are struggling to find jobs, yet you are employing enemies, therefore there won't be normal operations here).
It is said that the management asked him to identify the CCC members, but Nduna claimed that the mine had employed close to 500 CCC youths from different wards.
ZPP urges the Zimbabwe Human RightsCommission (ZHRC), awaiting the operationalisation of the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission,
to investigate the conduct of the military forces.
"The commission should further cause the Parliament to be informed, promptly and in appropriate detail, of the reasons for the deployment and conduct of the army within Zimbabwe insofar as the political accountability for the deployment of defence forces is concerned as enshrined in Section 214 of the Constitution.
"ZPP recommends that the officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police conduct themselves in a manner that is ethical and that promotes public safety.
ZPP urges the police to investigate all reported criminal cases, including those that include political actors in the ruling party," said ZPP.
In pursuant of justice and peace, the ZPP urged the ZHRC and police to investigate and cause for prosecution, all perpetrators including members of the security forces.
"ZPP believes that peace is possible when there is political tolerance and if the State is committed to ending the culture of impunity" notes the human rights watchdog.
