-
In Manicaland
province, traditional leaders are reportedly exercising extra
legal powers to evict villagers from their communal homes on
the basis that they do not support the ruling party. In some
instances, burial space is also denied.
-
Some police
officers are allegedly harassing members of the public who they
view to be supporters of the opposition MDC. In Harare, for
instance it was reported that police ordered a citizen to take
off an MDC t- shirt.
-
The price
reductions launched in June 2007 have resulted in increased
victimization of persons criticizing the activity. People are
being harassed for expressing discontent with the current economic
environment. Some cases were recorded in Midlands.
-
Denial of
aid in the form of food is rampant with a significant number
of cases being documented in Mashonaland West, Manicaland and
Matebeleland south.
-
Civil society
organizations are facing increasing threats in accessing rural
areas for the purposes of conducting human rights workshops.
ZPP documented incidents involving CIVNET in Manicaland and
ZESN and the Women's coalition in Masvingo as they could
not get clearance from the police.
-
Members
of the United Peoples Party (UPP) have reportedly been harassed
by both MDC and Zanu PF supporters in Bulawayo. UPP members
are labelled Zanu PF 'puppets' while in Masvingo
they were labelled opposition members.
-
In Manicaland
Province, they have been reports that in some provinces nurses
are using political affiliation to discriminate against those
members not supporting the ruling party.
-
Farm invasions
have resurfaced in some provinces including Masvingo and Mashonaland
East. Farm invasions resulted in the death of one Zanu PF member
at Stock hill farm.
-
In Mashonaland
West, gender based violence has also been recorded with one
youth having been raped by three Zanu PF youths. The use of
rape as a political weapon to punish the fathers, brothers and
husbands of women is deplorable.
-
In Mashonaland
Central, people were harassed for wanting to benefit from Operation
'Maguta scheme' while they do not support the ruling
party. According to the Zanu PF supporters government initiated
projects should benefit those who support the current government.
-
The redressive
operations such as 'operation hlalani kuhle' and
'operation maguta' are heavily politicized. In Mashonaland
West, it is reported that some beneficiaries of operation 'hlalani
kuhle' who are not sympathetic to the ruling party are
under threat of eviction from the project. Eleven families have
so far been evicted in Mashonaland Province alone.
-
Access to
information in the sense of hearing an alternative voice is
severely limited in the current environment. There are reports
that people are being harassed for reading Newspapers from the
independent media such as The Zimbabwean and listening to Short
Wave Radio and Studio seven. In Mashonaland Central one person
was harassed for reading a ZESN pamphlet.
-
ZPP has
received reports that the mobile registration which is being
done by the Registrar's office has been politicised. Some
persons viewed as supporting the opposition have been denied
access to procure documents and also register to vote.
-
The wearing
of MDC t-shirts, and t- shirts from NGOs and red colours in
the form of caps, has resulted in the harassment of some persons
in Harare.
-
Intra party
violence within the two major parties has reportedly increased
with cases being recorded in Bulawayo between the anti- senate
and pro- senate factions of the opposition MDC and Masvingo
between members of the ruling party.
-
Some cases
have been documented in Mashonaland east of persons being denied
registration during the mobile voter registration exercise.
The perpetrators have been groups of Zanu PF youth while those
suspected to be supporters of the opposition have been victimised.
-
In Mashonaland
East, it is reported that those not supporting the ruling party
have been denied.
