Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has escalated the repression of dissenting voices ahead of his assumption of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) chairmanship, which will take place during the group’s summit being held in Harare on August 17. To be sure, the climate of repression has cast a long shadow over the 16-member bloc.
To date, dozens of people – including opposition leaders and lawmakers, human rights defenders and civil society activists as well as ordinary residents – have been arrested and denied bail on accusations of holding ‘illegal’ meetings, ‘acting in a disorderly manner” or plotting violent protests’ during the summit.
Mnangagwa has largely continued the policies of his predecessor Robert Mugabe – whom he succeeded in 2017 following a military coup – of using any instrument available in the dictator’s toolbox. And all of this transpiring amid a broader context of grinding poverty, widespread unemployment, and economic ruin which has been exacerbated by official corruption.
The violence perpetrated by the Mnangagwa regime has amplified this year. State agents are increasingly resorting to torture, with one of the most horrific cases involving four pro-democracy campaigners forcibly taken off a plane at the Robert Mugabe International Airport on July 31. Among them were 25-year-old Namatai Kwekweza, a human rights activist; Robson Chere, the Secretary-General of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ); Samuel Gwenzi, a former Councilor for Harare Ward 5; and Vusumuzi Moyo. They were later taken to court and remanded in prison were they remain incarcerated to this day.
The Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission has since said it is investigating the torture allegations. Similar cases in the past, however, have failed to result in any tangible action against state actors, a development which has merely fueled impunity in Zimbabwe.
In an interview, Zimbabwean political analyst, Professor Ricky Mukonza, said that the actions taken by Mnangagwa's regime exhibited a clear lack of concern for the niceties of democracy, spelling doom for the SADC region given his impending chairmanship.
“Given that President Mnangagwa is expected to assume leadership of SADC, it means that he will not have moral authority to reprimand other member States that dare to engage in such unsavory political acts. Mnangagwa's chairmanship is likely to derail progress for the entire region because no parties will want to comfortably associate with a tainted leader like him," said Mukonza.
In a statement, the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network detailed additional state-sponsored violations, including abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture, and harassment of activists. The group also noted that on July 24 armed police in riot gear violently disrupted a meeting of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), a lawful gathering that resulted in severe beatings and arrests, leaving numerous students injured. It said the heavy-handed actions against students, political parties, and civic activists are unjustifiable and exacerbate security fears ahead of the SADC Summit. "This disturbing trend not only threatens democratic principles and international standards but also casts a dark shadow over the forthcoming summit," the network said.
"Notably, opposition politician Job Sikhala endured nearly 600 days of detention under harsh conditions, while Obert Masaraure, President of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), faces ongoing legal battles and recent convictions for expressing solidarity on social media," added the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network.
"The escalation of repression is further evident in the rise of extrajudicial killings. Following the controversial August 2023 elections, opposition members, including political activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya, have been abducted, tortured, and murdered."
A similar report by the Zimbabwe Peace Project said the escalating human rights violations are a product of government attempts to unjustly silence voices of dissent ahead of the SADC Summit. It said human rights defenders and activists have also been placed under surveillance, a blatant violation of Zimbabweans’ constitutional rights.
“These incidents show how the government has been in unprovoked panic mode, fearing that citizens will exercise their constitutional right to protest during the SADC summit,” the organization said. It also claimed that widespread abuses are happening at a time when dozens of opposition members are languishing in prison for more than 50 days following their arrests on June 16 at a private residence in Harare. Among those detained, now known as the Avondale 78, is a young mother who was incarcerated with her 1-year-old child.
“The series of violent clampdowns and repeated efforts to quash protests demonstrate a troubling willingness to use force to maintain power. This approach is not only hypocritical but also self-defeating, as it denies citizens the fundamental right to express dissenting opinions. The contrast between the government's rhetoric and actions is stark, and the consequences are alarming,” added the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
Nevertheless, the SADC Summit is still on pace to begin in Zimbabwe’s capital on August 17.
Clemence Manyukwe is a Zimbabwean journalist who primarily writes on issues of human rights and governance. Follow on Twitter: @charindapanze01
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vanguard Africa, the Vanguard Africa Foundation, or its staff.