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Zimbabwe

ZPP Monthly Monitoring Report (September 2019)

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Imaginary Steps Forward and Real Steps Backwards

The death of former President, Robert Mugabe, the abduction of Doctor Peter Magombeyi, Doctors’ and students’ strikes, turning away of children from school, food aid deprivation, the sharp decline of the Zimbabwe dollar are some of the highlights in the month of September.
The abduction of Doctor Magombeyi by alleged state agents on the 14th of September 2019 brought to mind the poisonous socio-political environment that is proliferating in Zimbabwe. Dr. Magombeyi, in his capacity as Acting President of the Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association (ZHDA), has been vocal is advocating for a better wage for doctors and better working conditions since doctors downed tools on the 3rd of September 2019. His abduction triggered widespread strikes and demonstrations by doctors, nurses and support medical staff in Harare and Bulawayo, as well as their counterparts in Namibia, South Africa and Kenya calling for his immediate release. He was eventually found on the 19th of September 2019 in Nyabira reportedly, confused and disoriented. Despite a High Court order permitting him to travel to South Africa for further tests and treatment, police barred him from leaving, citing that he was at risk of being ‘abducted’. His father, Kingstone Magombeyi lodged an urgent High Court Chamber application leading to Judge George Chiweshe throwing out the state’s appeal.
Magombeyi’s abduction came at a time when the country was still reeling from widespread abductions and torture which occurred in the month of August. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, that Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) is part of, recorded a total of 67abductions which targeted political activists, human rights defenders and one comedian.
Former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe passed away at the age of 95 on the 6th of September 2019 after a long battle with prostate cancer in a Singaporean hospital. Mugabe’s death ignited mixed emotions for Zimbabweans and the world at large. While most leaders mourned and showered praises about Mugabe’s legacy, for many it was a chance to purge the deep emotions they harbored over the man who led Zimbabwe for 37 years. One stark depiction was captured by the very background of his death-in a foreign hospital whilst he had presided over a collapsed health system in Zimbabwe. Mugabe’s legacy for many Zimbabweans is that of a despotic, violent and repressive regime. Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) came into existence to address matters of violent political conflict which proliferated during Mugabe’s reign, leaving millions traumatised and perpetrators arrogant as impunity prevailed. ZPP has a database teeming with horrendous accounts of victims of such human rights violations. Hopefully the raw and emotional accounts expressed by the populace subsequent to Mugabe’s demise would be a reminder for powers that be that citizens deserve selfless leaders who care about the legacy that will identify them.
The visit to Zimbabwe by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, Mr. Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, from 17-27 September 2019 was a highlight of the month. The Special Rapporteur visited the country at the invitation of the government of Zimbabwe. His visit came at a time when Zimbabwe was experiencing all the negatives where these freedoms are concerned. Following the intention to demonstrate by the Movement for Democratic Change- Alliance (MDC-A) in all the major cities of Zimbabwe the country was hit by a spate of abductions of human rights and political activists. The demonstrations slated to start in Harare on August 16 were all banned, with the demonstrators in the capital facing police’s heavy handedness and brutality as they were dispersed from where they had peacefully gathered. The visit also coincided with demonstrations by Doctors demanding the return of their colleague, Dr. Magombeyi who had been abducted.
His visit presented an opportunity for citizens to engage with him on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
In the month of September ZPP recorded a total of 184 violations. Cases of harassment and intimidation topped the list with a total of 94 violations followed by discrimination with 33 and theft with 21. The province of Mashonaland Central recorded the highest number of these violations followed by Harare and Mashonaland West.