The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission says government officials are not aware of “our” existence to the extent of denying them access to public institutions which they would have approached with the intention of instituting an investigation of alleged human rights abuses.
ZHRC deputy chair Dr Ellen Sithole at the commemorations of the International Human Rights day in Harare recently said they because of that  they are being treated like NGOs.
“One of the things happening is that people get to know about us in the context of complains. when we went to Chingwizi   for example after the displacements to investigate,the former Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister ( Kudakwashe Basikiti) thought we were an NGO  , when were communicating on the phone saying we were coming there he said “you NGOs we do not want to have anything with you” , until we said to him look we are not an NGO, we are a state institution ,constitutional commission  which was established by the constitution ,”she said.
“Went we went there we literally brought the section of the constitution and said look here this is the section that creates us and he said ahhh..
“So if people at that level do not know about what the constitution says about the commissions and the duty of the ZHRC what about the ordinary people?”
The Zanu PF government suspects NGOs of working with the opposition MDC which it says has a regime change agenda.
NGOs when they carry out their humanitarian and civic education mandate in rural areas they are strictly monitored by the state.
During election times Zanu PF bans their operations in selected areas.
In her ongoing “meet the people” rallies she is carrying out throughout the country the first lady Grace Mugabe who is the Zanu Pf secretary for women’s league is warning people against entertaining.