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Political violence report: May to August 2012
Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD)
September 17, 2012

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Executive Summary

The 4 months under review from May to August 2012 depicts high levels of human rights violations as continuously prevailing and mostly the increase have been largely attributed to by an increase in cases of socio-economic and politically motivated human rights violations in Masvingo province in comparison to the period between January and April 2012. A culture of impunity has engulfed the societies and the police force has become highly partisan in the period under review. Uniformed forces and state agents have played significant roles in the violation of human rights. Intra party political intolerance has hugely culminated in the increase of levels of political violence. Non-tolerance to political diversity has also grossly attributed to highly levels of victimisation and it remains a common phenomenon especially in the rural constituencies. Elections even at political part level, national level and organizational level in Zimbabwe continue to witness organised and systematic violence, intimidation and victimization of potential voters thus perverting freedom of choice in the elections. There has been lack of meaningful dialogue amongst major stakeholders aimed at breaking the violence impasse in the communities. Young people and the traditional chiefs were involved in most of the cases committed during the period under review. The reasons behind an increase in the cases of politically motivated violence in Masvingo province have been attributed to the political impasse that is being associated with the constitution deadlocks and the shortage of food in Masvingo province.

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