By A Correspondent

The Mnangagwa administration has come under renewed scrutiny following the release of a damning report by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), which highlights the ruling Zanu PF and state security agencies as leading perpetrators of human rights abuses in April 2025.

According to the ZPP’s latest data, Zanu PF is responsible for 34.1% of all recorded human rights violations, making the party the biggest offender last month. The abuses include harassment, political intimidation, and violence, particularly targeting perceived opposition supporters.

“Analysis of the data indicates that individuals affiliated with the ruling party, Zanu PF, were responsible for 34.1% of the reported violations,” the report states.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) followed closely, allegedly committing 24.1% of the violations, while local authorities accounted for 15.64%. The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and government officials were also implicated, responsible for 6.41% and 4.62% of reported abuses respectively.

“These figures expose a systemic pattern of repression carried out by both political and state actors,” a ZPP spokesperson said. “It’s a coordinated assault on civil liberties, especially in provinces considered hostile to the ruling elite.”

Masvingo Province recorded the highest number of violations with 20 cases, trailed by Harare with 14, indicating a troubling consistency with March’s trends.

The findings directly challenge the government’s ongoing narrative of democratic progress and rights reform. While President Mnangagwa’s administration often touts itself as a reformist regime, human rights defenders say the evidence paints a starkly different reality.

“This report is not just a statistical snapshot; it’s a national alarm bell,” said one rights advocate.

“There can be no meaningful reform while abuses like these go unpunished.”

With the country inching closer to more by-elections and a politically sensitive season ahead, the report underscores the urgent need for independent oversight and accountability mechanisms.

“The international community cannot afford to look away,” the advocate added.

“The people of Zimbabwe deserve protection—not persecution.”