ZIMBABWEANS endured a tough road ahead of the just-ended Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State summit after President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched a crackdown on suspected government critics fearing mass protests for allegedly stealing the 2023 elections.
A staggering 200 Zimbabweans were caught up in the sometimes violent crackdown, a report by a network of human rights organisations has revealed.
The crackdown caught the eye of the international community, including the United Nations, that called for the release of jailed opposition supporters and civil society workers.
Mnangagwa’s government also swooped on vendors and deployed the military in various cities, including rural areas ahead of the summit to intimidate citizens.
Dozens of activists are currently either in hiding or in remand prison following the government crackdown with some left with torture wounds.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum prepared a dossier documenting human rights abuses from June 1 ahead of the summit, and it was presented at the human rights symposium held in the capital on the sidelines of the Sadc People’s summit.
In the dossier, the Forum said armed police arrested Citizens Coalitions for Change (CCC) interim leader Jameson Timba and 78 youths on June 16 at his home while commemorating the International Youth Day.
Police said the gathering was illegal with intent to plan mass protests.
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They are still languishing in remand prison.
On June 29, police swooped on five members of Job Sikhala's National Democratic Working Group for allegedly holding an unsanctioned gathering in Kuwadzana.
A day later, dozens attending a memorial service of slain CCC activist Mboneni Ncube in Lower Gweru were arrested and detained, but later released without any charges being laid against them.
On July 3, six individuals associated with Community Voices Zimbabwe were arrested at the Green Diamond Lodge in Gokwe including an opposition councillor.
They were later released.
Police arrested 44 students on July 24 attending a Zimbabwcouncil meeting at Zesa training centre in Belvedere, Harare.
Some of them were badly injured.
On July 28, 2024, former Kariba opposition lawmaker John Houghton and 13 other individuals were arrested for staging a peaceful demonstration against the continued incarceration of Timba and other party activists.
On July 30, three Zimbabwe Peace Project members were brutally assaulted and detained for more than two hours in Mutasa district while conducting their duties
Four activists Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwezi and Vusumuzi Moyo were forced off a plane at the Robert Mugabe International airport on July 31 and held incommunicado for several hours.
Chere sustained injuries pointing to evidence of torture.
They are still behind bars.
The five were heading to Victoria Falls to attend the 5th African Philanthropic Conference, an annual gathering of civil society policy influencers and their stakeholders.
On the same day Gideon Shoko, a former CCC senator for Bulawayo was arrested by detectives and released on the same day.
On the same day Bulawayo councillor Bruce Moyo was arrested for allegedly staging a demonstration and he remains behind bars.
On August 2, 2024, Jacob Ngarivhume was arrested in Mutare and transferred to Harare for a court appearance.
He was jointly charged with Kelvin Gonde for participating in an unsanctioned gathering.
On August 3, Tineyi Munetsi was arrested on charges of participating in a protest to overthrow a legitimate government in 2019.
On August 2, bishop Kelvin Nyamalanga was arrested at his home in Harare for plotting to incite violence during the Sadc summit.
On August 7, Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe offices were raided by state security agencies while on August 9 Zinasu President Calvin Muvheyi was arrested in Masvingo.
He was accused of planning to demonstrate during the Sadc summit.
Civic society organisations attending the human rights symposium held on the side-lines of the Sadc People’s Summit condemned the crackdown and the shrinking democratic space under Mnangagwa.
