An opposition legislator has accused the government of fostering a culture of fear and intimidation, particularly targeting student activists. This accusation follows the recent arrest of 44 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) at the Zesa Training Center in Belvedere, Harare. The arrests occurred after violence erupted, leading to property damage.
In a session of the National Assembly, Warren Park MP Shakespear Hamauswa raised this issue as a point of national interest. He cited the Constitution and international conventions that guarantee freedom of assembly, expressing concern over the continued incarceration of Zimbabwean citizens, including students. Hamauswa called for the government to provide tangible reasons for these arrests.
Hamauswa pointed out that the Constitution of Zimbabwe, along with other international conventions, preserves political rights and the right to assemble. He emphasized the importance of upholding these rights, especially with the upcoming Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit and the influx of visitors it will bring. He stressed that the continued detention of citizens, which the Constitution protects against, should be justified clearly and transparently.
He highlighted the issue, stating, “The continued incarceration of Zimbabwean citizens is covered by the Constitution, which allows people freedom of assembly. If there are tangible reasons for why people are being incarcerated, this should be brought to this august House.”
Hamauswa expressed particular concern over the restriction on Harare MPs holding feedback meetings. He explained that the issue at hand pertained to an incident where Zinasu members were arrested during a capacity-building meeting. He noted, “The issue I am talking about is not before the courts. Every Harare MP is not allowed to have feedback meetings. The issue that I was talking about is an issue which pertains to what happened yesterday (Wednesday), where Zinasu members were having a capacity-building meeting, and they were arrested.”
The MP further criticized the daily arrests and the negative image it projects about the country, especially with the upcoming SADC summit. “The issue of the continued incarceration, arresting of people every day, does not paint a good picture. We will be having ambassadors from the SADC region. This is painting the country in a bad light,” Hamauswa added.
However, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi dismissed Hamauswa’s concerns, accusing him of spreading falsehoods. Ziyambi insisted that the government respects the rights of its citizens and adheres to legal procedures in all cases of arrest and detention. He asserted that the arrests were justified and necessary to maintain law and order.
