Zimbabwe’s governing party ZANU-PF is responsible for 65.4 percent of the 137 human rights violations in Zimbabwe for June, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) confirmed in its monthly monitoring report on Wednesday. This marks the fourth month in a row that ZANU PF has been the leading perpetrator of human rights abuses in the country, according to the ZPP. The party was responsible for 36.69 percent of perpetrations in March, 69.41 percent in April, and 61.83 percent in May.
ZANU-PF, formally known as the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, has been the ruling party of Zimbabwe since the country attained independence in 1980. ZPP’s monthly report details ZANU-PF’s extensive violations of the freedom of assembly and association, intimidating citizens and forcing attendance at political meetings and restructuring exercises:
[I]ncidents of intimidation and forced attendance of ZANU PF cell restructuring exercises were among the major incidents recorded. Political rights were violated as people were forced to submit their personal details to ruling party activists who carried out community outreach programmes registering people to join cells against their will.
In one province, Mashonalaand Central, ZPP reported that ZANU-PF activists led an invasion of a female victim’s farmland, claiming that the land belonged to the government. In the province of Masvingo, ZPP reported that ZANU-PF members compelled village heads to compile the names of citizens in their villages, who would then be given a position in ZANU-PF cells.
ZPP believes these actions are in breach of the freedom of assembly and association, provided for in section 58 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, and the right to make political choices in section 67.
At a different restructuring exercise in Mashondaland East, ZPP notes how food was weaponised, “[F]ailure to attend was accompanied by threats of violence and other actions such as denial of food aid.” Depriving food aid on political grounds is a violation of the right to sufficient food, enshrined in section 77 of the Constitution.
Other notable perpetrators in June were the Zimbabwe Republic Policy (9.73 percent), traditional leaders (9.34 percent) and Municipal officers (5.84 percent). Of the 137 violations recorded, 50.5 percent of victims were male, and 49.5 percent were female.
However, ZPP does draw attention to and commends a new government initiative: a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (2023-2027), which the Zimbabwe government introduced to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) into “national development, diplomacy, gender, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace, security, and reconciliation strategies.” UNSCR 1325 was the first UN resolution that recognised women were disproportionately and uniquely impacted by armed conflict. ZPP expressed hope that the initiative will mark a step forward for gender equality in Zimbabwe.
ZANU-PF’s hold on power has long been subject to criticism. The party came under fire by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in August 2023, which found that Zimbabwe authorities failed to meet international standards for a free and fair electoral process in the general election. The general election was characterised by ZANU-PF’s obstruction of opposition party meetings accompanied by the use of force, and the arrest and detention of political opponents at rallies. The 2023 general election followed the trend of many elections prior. Election periods, particularly in 1985, 1990, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2008, have all be been characterised by widespread political violence, consolidated by the backing of government agencies.
