Human rights pressure group, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) says ordinary citizens bear the brunt of being politically motivated violence victims.
In its February report, ZPP said it is concerning that law enforcement officers have adopted a one sided approach following the recent held Gokwe and Kwekwe rallies by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
In both rallies, violence erupted with one person dying following attacks by alleged ZanuPF members on CCC supporters.
In Gokwe, the police stopped a CCC rally citing that it was too close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Kwekwe rally which, however, was held 144 kilometres away.
“While in January, ZPP recorded a total of 55 cases of human rights violations, the majority of them were of discrimination during aid processes, and in February, the organization recorded a total of 70 cases, with the majority of them being of political violence that left people injured or dead.
“In all of this, the majority of the victims, about 89 per cent, are ordinary Zimbabweans, with nine per cent being CCC supporters. It is unfortunate that Zimbabwean politics continues to be haunted by cases of violence that can be avoided if Zimbabweans were more tolerant.
“We are also concerned by the continued partisan actions of the police, whose mandate is to serve every Zimbabwean. ZPP noted the irony that police managed to spend a considerable amount of equipment and human resources to stop a CCC rally in Gokwe, but failed to send enough manpower to protect the legally sanctioned CCC event in Kwekwe, which was invaded by the machete gangs,” read the report
The pressure group said the police has contributed to human rights violations that have resulted in the detention of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change supporters.
“The Kwekwe incident happened as CCC activists had to fend off alleged Zanu PF supporters who petrol bombed a tent set up for a rally in St Mary’s in Chitungwiza. Police have also contributed to human rights violations, CCC supporters were detained for holding a car rally whereas supporters of other political parties had car rallies and were not arrested.
Police have also deployed roadblocks in a bid to disrupt opposition political activists wishing to attend rallies of their parties,” ZPP said.
