Zimbabwe is undergoing a beautification drive in preparation for hosting the 44th edition of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit. This initiative has led to significant improvements in the country’s infrastructure, particularly in the capital city, Harare. Roads are being refurbished, old buildings are being dressed up, and efforts are underway to clear vendors and illegal pirate taxis from the central business district.
However, these efforts have been overshadowed by a severe crackdown on pro-democracy activists. This restriction aims to prevent planned demonstrations during the SADC summit. In the past month, the police have detained over 100 activists, according to human rights groups. There are also reports of torture, which is a serious violation of both domestic and international laws.
In an alarming incident, suspected state agents dragged activists Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwenzi, and Vusumuzi Moyo from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. The activists were en route to a civil society conference in Victoria Falls when they were forcibly removed from the aircraft. Human rights activist Tinashe Chinopfukwa told the court that before the plane could push back, a team of five men boarded and forced the activists to disembark without explaining why they were being arrested.
The court heard that the activists were assaulted, with Robson Chere sustaining visible injuries. Human rights lawyer Jeremiah Bamu testified that state agents threatened to rape Chere’s wife or kill her. The activists were also forced to chant Zanu PF slogans. This incident has drawn international condemnation.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), a coalition partner in the government of South Africa, has demanded that the SADC Summit be moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa. The “unrepentant Zanu PF regime,” according to the DA, has demonstrated a willingness to break the law in order to maintain its dictatorial reign. According to the party, it is the duty of South Africa and the SADC to ensure that the Zimbabwean government is held responsible. The DA claimed that allowing the summit to take place in Zimbabwe would support Zanu PF’s disregard for international law and contradict the fundamental ideals upon which the SADC was founded.
The World Council of Churches also condemned the actions of the Zimbabwean government in the strongest terms. They called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to address these violations, which undermine both the Constitution of Zimbabwe and international human rights laws. The council demanded the release of the detained activists.
Demonstrations are a common occurrence during key summits, conferences, and meetings worldwide. These protests aim to raise awareness of critical issues and influence decision-making processes. For instance, yearly demonstrations are held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The December 12 Movement, a two-member organization, has made it a ritual to denounce sanctions against Zimbabwe during this assembly.
Despite assertions that it is departing from the past, critics view Mnangagwa’s administration’s most recent assault as a continuation of the oppressive methods employed by its predecessors. The operation has been compared to the former president Robert Mugabe’s administration, which was well-known for using severe measures to silence opposition.
