Authorities embark on widespread crackdown ahead of SADC summit

General update

President’s supporters push for abolition of presidential term limits

ZANU-PF has called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his stay in office beyond 2028 when his current term is due to expire. ZANU-PF held its provincial inter-district conference on 25th August 2024 to come up with a resolution to request relevant authorities to make the necessary constitutional amendments to allow President Mnangagwa to continue with his work. This will be presented to the party leadership at the 21st Annual People’s Conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds in Bulawayo from 22nd-27th October 2024. Despite the constitutional barriers, Harare Province's chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa suggested the legislature extend Mnangagwa's number of years for each term or tentatively amend the term limit from two to three, or scrap the term limits altogether. However, any such amendment would not benefit the incumbent president as the Constitution explicitly prohibits term-limit amendments from applying to sitting presidents. This situation reflects internal power struggles within ZANU-PF, particularly between Mnangagwa and his potential successor, Constantino Chiwenga.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition issued a statement highlighting that “The people of Zimbabwe will not accept any amendments to the constitution that undermine our democracy and the rule of law. President Mnangagwa must respect the two-term limit and hand over power peacefully when his term expires in 2028.”

While the president has since allayed these fears by affirming his commitment to leave office after completing his second term, ZANU-PF officials continue to push for constitutional amendments to allow him run for a third term

Peaceful Assembly

Ahead of the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit which took place on 17th August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean authorities escalated a widespread crackdown on opposition members, civil society organisations and activists. Since mid-June 2024, over 160 people have been arrested, with evidence of torture and other ill-treatment.

On 16th June 2024, police arrested and detained 78 members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), including interim party leader Jameson Timba, during a gathering at Timba’s house to commemorate the International Day of the African Child. One of the individuals arrested was a nursing mother and another was a 17-year-old minor who has since been released into the custody of his parents. On 17th June 2024, police charged the detainees with “gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct.”

Further incidents followed as police targeted other groups and individuals. On 24th June 2024, 44 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), including its president Emmanuel Sitima, were arrested after the police broke up their meeting at which they discussed education policies, leaving some with injuries after alleged severe beatings.

On 27th June 2024, Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa warned against “opposition political parties bent on peddling falsehoods and instigating acts of civil disorder, especially before, during and after regional and world state events.” Hours later, police outside the Harare Magistrate’s Court beat and arrested peaceful protesters, who were demanding the release of the 78 CCC members arrested at Timba’s house, after they were denied bail. On 4th September 2024, the court acquitted Jameson Timba and his 77 co-accused of Disorderly Conduct and acquitted 12 of the 77 of all charges. The court however ruled that 65 of them, including Jameson Timba, would proceed to a defence case on the charge of “Participating in a gathering. They remain in detention at the time of writing this report.

On 29th June 2024, police also arrested five members of the National Democratic Working Group social justice movement at a private residence in Harare during a meeting to raise funds for impoverished families, but were later released.

On 1st July, police disrupted a memorial service for a CCC member killed in 2022, and on 3rd July 2024, they arrested six members of the Community Voices Zimbabwe media organisation in Gokwe before releasing them without charge.

A particularly alarming incident occurred on 31st July 2024, when state agents forcibly removed four activists from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe Airport and held them incommunicado for nearly eight hours. They are facing charges of disorderly conduct in relation to their participation in a peaceful march outside the Harare magistrate's courts on 20th June 2024 where 78 CCC members were appearing for their remand hearing mentioned above. Reports indicate that the activists, including Robson Chere, leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, were tortured during their detention, with Chere requiring urgent medical attention.

Since the beginning of August 2024, authorities have arrested more than 30 additional people across Zimbabwe, including a parliamentarian, a city council member, a senator and a religious leader, most of whom were detained in connection with protests or their support for opposition parties.

The human rights violations occurring in Zimbabwe were linked to the government’s hosting of the SADC summit, where President Mnangagwa was set to assume the bloc’s chairmanship. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on SADC leaders to publicly condemn Zimbabwe’s actions and demand the release of those unjustly detained. They also emphasised the importance of SADC upholding its commitment to human rights as Mnangagwa takes over the leadership, warning that the current situation sets a dangerous precedent for the region's future.

In other more positive developments, on 22nd June 2024, the Harare High Court acquitted Job Sikhala of all charges for which he had been held in remand prison. The case has raised concerns about the misuse of Zimbabwe's criminal justice system to target, harass and intimidate opposition leaders, with calls for the authorities to cease such political repression. Job Sikhala, Godfrey Sithole and 14 others, known as the "Nyatsime 16" were arrested in June 2022 on charges of obstructing justice and inciting violence during protests that followed the death of Moreblessing Ali, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter. Ali’s mutilated body had been found on 11th June 2022 outside Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Sikhala was initially convicted of obstructing justice in May 2023 and given a suspended six-month sentence with an option of paying a US$ 600 fine, but this conviction was later overturned in November 2023. However, he was then convicted of incitement to violence on 30th January 2024 and received a suspended two-year sentence, under a law that no longer exists, for posting a Facebook video, and later a nine-month suspended prison term in February 2024 for making false statements.

Association

Government Launches Scathing Anti-LGBTIQ+ Attack

On 15th February 2024, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga launched a scathing attack on behalf of the government against a scholarship programme offered by GALZ a membership organisation in Zimbabwe for LGBTIQ+ students, labelling LGBTIQ+ individuals deviants and aberrations who should be denied access to education. Chiwenga said such scholarships are a national threat and highlighted that anyone who identifies as LGBTIQ+ shall not be enrolled at any educational institution. Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalised in Zimbabwe, punishable with up to 14 years in prison.

Repression of civil society organisations has intensified with the government planning to introduce repressive laws. On 1st March 2024, the Zimbabwean government introduced the Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) Amendment Bill 2024, allegedly to combat money laundering and terrorism financing and to prevent NGOs from engaging in political lobbying. This follows the President's refusal to sign the PVO Amendment Bill of 2021 which subsequently lapsed in August 2023, and was previously documented by the Monitor. Despite hopes that the President had considered the concerns raised by Civil Society Organisations in 2023, the new bill shows that most issues remain unaddressed. The bill still contains provisions that threaten the existence and operations of civil society including a requirement for all civil society organisations, including those already operating under other legal frameworks, to register as PVOs, failing which they would not be able to continue with their operations. It also bestows wide powers on the Minister and Registrar, enabling them to interfere with the composition of an organisation’s board of directors and staff. The Bill also introduces criminal offences for which board and staff members may be found liable.

From 13th-17th May 2024, parliament conducted public hearings on five bills including the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill and the Persons with Disabilities Bill which were conducted hastily without adequate public participation. The PVO Bill hearings were chaotic with almost every hearing ending prematurely due to disruptions by suspected ZANU-PF youth groups in Harare, Masvingo, Marondera and Chinhoyi. The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested four opposition activists in Masvingo. The four were arrested for allegedly disrupting the public hearings at Charles Austin Theatre in Masvingo despite video evidence showing known ZANU-PF activists disrupted the hearings. The Persons with Disabilities Bill hearings on the other hand were held in venues that were inaccessible to persons with disabilities.

Expression

Two journalists banned from covering government events

On 27th February 2024, during a briefing on plans to open a regional office in Gweru by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Owen Ncube, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution asked journalists to introduce themselves. He then expelled two journalists - Sydney Mubaiwa of the Mirror Midlands Newspaper and Stephen Chadenga of Newsday - accusing their outlets of attacking the government and barring them from future government meetings in the province. Ncube ordered security officers to escort them out.

Six journalists from other privately owned and state-owned media were allowed to stay. Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, and another official apologised to the ousted journalists. Both Mubaiwa and Chadenga have since been too afraid to attend government events in the province.

Journalists turn to self-censorship over threats & surveillance

The NewsHawks, an investigative online newspaper, ceased further reporting on its story about the dismissal of three army generals over corruption allegations, citing concerns for journalists’ safety. After publishing the article on 12th February 2024, NewsHawks journalists faced threats, intimidation and surveillance aimed at revealing their sources. Consequently, they withdrew from the story, refrained from publishing follow-ups, and removed related content from their latest edition.

CPJ called on Zimbabwean authorities to protect journalists and take action against those threatening them. The Zimbabwe Defence Forces acknowledged the investigation but criticised NewsHawks for allegedly spreading falsehoods. Presidential spokesperson George Charamba advised caution in reporting on security matters to avoid adverse reactions.

Despite the challenges, The NewsHawks clarified that they were not silenced permanently but were temporarily practising self-censorship to ensure journalist safety. This decision follows previous threats faced by NewsHawks journalist Bernard Mpofu, who went into hiding in 2021 after reporting on sensitive issues, including an incident involving President Emmerson Mnangagwa's helicopter.

Zimbabwe Journalists Ordered to Delete content at Rally

Media watchdogs and journalists in Zimbabwe were outraged after security personnel ordered them to delete photos and videos of Second Vice President Kembo Mohadi collapsing at a campaign rally. Mohadi was airlifted for medical attention and journalists were compelled to delete their recordings. Some journalists' phones were confiscated for further checks, especially those from private media, and security agents monitored their subsequent reporting.

Journalists criticised the action, asserting their right to privacy and to inform the public. Tabani Moyo, head of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, emphasised the national interest in such a story and called the security's actions unfortunate. Five days after the incident, there was still no update on Mohadi’s condition and government officials, including ZANU-PF representatives and Information Minister Jenfan Muswere, refused to comment.

Perfect Hlongwane, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, labelled the incident a violation of journalistic and constitutional rights. First Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, at a rally against international sanctions, did not address Mohadi’s collapse but asserted Zimbabwe’s respect for human rights and freedoms.