Human rights violations worsened in election month

Human rights violations continued on a high trend during the month of elections. The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) recorded 384 human rights violations, a huge increase from 301 in July 2023.

Fifty nine percent of the violations were of threats, harassment, and intimation, 16% of assault and 9% of malicious damage to property (MDP).

ZPP identified 8 832 victims of human rights violations (51% male, 48% female, 0.11% male persons with disability and 0.12% female PWDs).

The general citizens populated the highest percentage of victims, 86%, and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters followed with 12%.

Zanu PF party perpetrated most of the violations (37%), followed by the Forever Associate Zimbabwe (Faz) at 28%.

Harare (98) and Manicaland (70) provinces recorded the highest violations, whilst Matabeleland North (11) and Bulawayo (14) had the lowest.

The 2023 general elections were marred by human rights violations across the country. Members of Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) affiliate group Forever Associate Zimbabwe (FAZ) were implicated in harassing citizens in rural and urban communities.

The August 2023 Monthly Monitoring Report (MMR) captures passionate stories of victims of human rights abuses during the pre and post-election phase which was characterised by gross intimidation and harassment of citizens by Faz working in coordination with some traditional leaders participating in partisan politics.

In the history of Zimbabwe’s political and electoral affairs, the 2023 elections left an indelible mark when the Southern African Development Community’s (Sadc’s) Preliminary Statement on the Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections noted that some aspects of the Harmonised Elections, fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the Sadc Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).

This was the first time that Sadc did not “fully” endorse Zimbabwe’s elections in comparison with past elections (2013 and 2018) when the regional body declared

Zimbabwe’s elections as free and fair.

The response by the ruling party Zanu PF to Sadc’s preliminary elections statement exposed the conflation of the party and the state.

Zanu PF reacted on behalf of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commision which was supposed to be the first respondent as an independent electoral management body.

The ruling party Zanu PF held separate press briefings addressed by senior politicians Christopher Mutsvangwa and Ziyambi Ziyambi attacking and accusing Sadc of undermining the nation’s sovereignty for not endorsing the elections as compared to previous years.

The European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) observer missions issued their preliminary reports further reinforcing the notion by the Sadc mission’s observations that the elections were not in tandem with regional and international protocols.

Sadc’s head of mission Nevers Mumba found himself under attack from Zanu PF politicians who accused him of acting outside his mandate and interfering with Zimbabwe’s domestic affairs.

In his address Mutsvangwa alleged that the preliminary report was an individual effort of Mumba, however, the Sadc mission issued a statement confirming that the report was a collective consolidation of mission members deployed to observe the harmonised elections.

On August 28, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Priscilla Maidei Chigumba announced the presidential election results around 2300hrs declaring Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa as winner with 52.6%.

However, CCC rejected the election outcome citing electoral irregularities varying from alleged vote rigging, intimidation of the electorate by Faz and delays in printing and distribution of ballot papers in opposition stronghold areas of Bulawayo and Harare.

The CCC rejected Chamisa’s announced 44% of the vote citing allegations of vote rigging by Zec in favour of Mnangagwa.

CCC argued that preliminary results from ward polling stations and a collation from their V11 forms was pointing that its leader Nelson Chamisa had received more votes than Mnangagwa including in Zanu PF stronghold areas.

This resulted in a disputed election with the CCC rejecting the election outcome, leaving the nation divided.

The pre-election period was characterised by an increase in campaigns of political parties who were jostling and canvassing for votes ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.

Zimbabwe’s major political parties Zanu PF and the CCC held rallies countrywide where citizens were engaged and acquainted with party manifestos and the promises by the prospective leaders.

However, reports indicate that people who attended Zanu PF rallies were coerced to attend by traditional leaders and some ruling party politicians.

There was systemic abuse of state resources such as Zimbabwe United Passenger Company and school buses to ferry people to ruling party gatherings.