Calls to help struggling Zimbabwean democracy ahead of SADC summit

By The Citizen

Zimbabwean interest groups have called for help from the international community ahead of the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit next week in Harare, asking it to intervene and hold the Zimbabwean government accountable for what was described as state-sponsored abductions, arrests and killings.

Since the elections last year that saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa being re-elected, many Zimbabweans have rejected him as the leader and sought better pastures across the borders into South Africa, with an estimated more than million Zimbabweans living in South Africa.

SADC leaders to meet

Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network chairperson Professor Adriano Nuvunga has called on SADC leaders who believe in democratic values to hold the Zimbabwean government accountable for its commitments to human rights.

Nuvunga said it was imperative to bring to light the intensifying state-sponsored crackdown characterised by abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture and harassment in Zimbabwe with the SADC summit underway next weekend.

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“The recent brutal crackdown on the Zimbabwe National Students Union [Zinasu] exemplifies the severity of this repression.

“On 24 July, armed police in riot gear violently disrupted Zinasu’s peaceful general council meeting at the Zesa National Training Centre.

“This unprovoked assault resulted in severe beating and arrests, leaving numerous students injured,” he said.

Activists unlawfully detained

Nuvunga said over 77 democracy activists were currently detained without bail after being arrested for holding a peaceful meeting in Harare.

“The opposition politician, Job Sikhala, has endured nearly 600 days of detention under harsh conditions while Obert Masaraure, president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe faces ongoing legal battles and recent convictions for expressing solidarity on social media,” he said.

“Following the controversial August 2023 elections, opposition members, including political activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya, have been abducted, tortured and murdered.”

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Nuvunga said they demanded an explanation from Zimbabwean authorities for the repressive measures used and called on the international community to step in and help with the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, end all forms of unlawful detention and torture and also enable access to healthcare for detainees.

“The intimidation tactics of the Zimbabwean authorities are a weapon to silence citizens and it’s imperative that we use our different platforms and spaces to amplify the plight of Zimbabweans and push for freedom for all that have fled to South Africa.

“He will stop at nothing. This is why they are capturing all the state institutions.

“Enough is enough. We are calling on you South African Federation of Trade Unions [Saftu],” said Mazarura Attorney at Lawyers for Human Rights.

Revolution needed

Mametlwe Sebei said a revolution was needed to turn around Zimbabwe.

“The current regime is a continuation of the dictatorship of the decades under Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa that elevated the current regime to office.

“These are people who have been implicated in worse of crimes,” he said.

Sebei said the current crisis in Zimbabwe has a lot to do with the deepening crisis of the country’s economy.

“Every measure that the state has taken to address that crisis has not only not worked but completely failed,” he said.