By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF party members topped human rights violations, with 165 cases in April and 193 in May in a development rights groups say indicates the ruling party’s penchant for violence.
The figures were released by pressure group, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) in its latest report.
According to the ZPP’s Monitoring Report, there was an escalation of political activity last month as major political parties are now preparing for the 2023 general election.
The patterns of intimidation and harassment, abductions, and assaults implicating the ruling party continued unabated.
“The organisation (ZPP) recorded cases where Zanu-PF abused its influence in government to manipulate national processes like the voter registration blitz, the mobile national documentation outreach, and aid distribution,” the human rights monitor noted.
“In this month’s roundup, we dig into these cases and provide detailed analyses and recommendations. Between March and June 2008, over 200 opposition supporters were killed while thousands of others were injured and tens of thousands were displaced in one of the vilest electoral periods in Zimbabwe’s history.
“The systematic targeting of the supporters of the then main opposition party, the MDC-T, was in response to the party’s parliamentary and presidential election victory over Zanu-PF”.
According to the ZPP, for the first time in 28 years (2008), Zanu-PF faced defeat right in its face and the party used all at its disposal – the police, intelligence agents, the military, war veterans and youth militia- to overturn the defeat.
“After the orgy of violence, the country was to get into a multi-party dialogue that led to a unity government between Zanu-PF and the opposition. For five years, Zimbabwe enjoyed general political harmony and unfortunately missed a chance to conduct, for the first time, a genuine, inclusive and effective healing and reconciliation process to deal with the conflicts that date back to colonial times”.
The ZPP said what was more worrying at the present moment was that Zanu-PF ward leaders were holding meetings, mostly in the Mashonaland, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces, and are threatening to unleash violence the same way they did in 2008 if they lose in the 2023 elections.
“So far, Zanu-PF has been responsible for 165 human rights violations in April and 193 in May, all related to how the party is closing down the space for opposition activity.
“In one of the cases recorded in Mt Darwin East at Chaparira village, Zanu-PF activists led by Christopher Mbereko allegedly besieged the home of a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter Tendai Kurauone* on the night of 14 May and attacked him, leaving him seriously injured. The Zanu-PF youths accused the man of working with CCC cheerleader, Godfrey Karembera known as Madzibaba veShanduko.”
-NewZimbabwe