In January 2024, the Zimbabwe Peace Project recorded 154 human rights violations and abuses across the country’s 10 provinces.
About 55.12% of the violations are attributable to the ruling party, ZANU PF. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and municipal police contributed 15.18% and 11.55% respectively.
Members of the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) contributed 8.25% of the violations while traditional leaders contributed 3.96%.
At least 45.56% of the victims were women and males constituted a total of 54.45%.
About 0.3% of the female victims were people with disabilities and men with disabilities represented 0.5% of the male victims.
Ordinary citizens were the majority of victims standing at 67%.
The second largest group of victims were members of the CCC constituting 30.7% of the victims.
Other political parties such as Zanu PF and the MDC-T also recorded victims representing 0.5% and 0.4% respectively.
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Among the key violations were cases of intimidation, harassment and political violence.
Twenty five cases of violations of the right to equality and non-discrimination on grounds of political affiliation were documented and verified in the reporting period.
Cases of assault were also recorded while other cases included theft of government-sponsored aid meant for the public, torture, and malicious damage to property.
Midlands province experienced 28 violations, the same number as recorded in December 2023.
Mashonaland East recorded an increase from 13 to 20 cases while Harare experienced more violations from 12 cases to 18.
Notable events during the reporting period include the exit of the leader of the opposition Nelson Chamisa from the CCC a party he formed two years ago claiming that it had been hijacked by Zanu PF.
In the same month, a former legislator and lawyer Job Sikhala was released from prison 595 days after his arrest in June 2022.
Meanwhile, the Gukurahundi outreach committee has been accused of secrecy as it has not yet released the calendar for community public hearings regarding the matter.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project continues to monitor and document human rights violations across the country
ZPP recorded 15 cases where victims were threatened with violence and seven cases of politically motivated violence in the month of January.
The cases recorded include inter-party violence where two Zanu PF youths engaged in a physical fight with members of a member of CCC in Nyanga North after an altercation over the 2023 elections results, resulting in the CCC member sustaining mouth injuries.
Cases of inter-party violence were also recorded in Harare where some members of the MDC Alliance were assaulted by suspected CCC members at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House in the central business district.
The majority of the victims who were either threatened with violence or unspecified action are members of opposition parties like the CCC.
The cases of intimidation and harassment have escalated, from 10 in December 10 2023 to 15 in January 2024, especially after Chamisa quit the party.
In Glenorah, Harare, Zanu PF youths led by a political commissar identified as Mr Kodza conducted a community outreach programme advising residents of a process called “operation show us your national identity card” which in its nature intimidated the community members with many living in fear.
In Zvimba North, a female victim who was deployed as a CCC polling election agent during the August 23, 2023 harmonised elections is living in fear following threats to eliminate her.
She was threatened by Zanu PF activist Martin Kativhu.
Intimidation, with threats of violence or other harmful actions, hinders the enjoyment of citizens’ political rights and other fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association.
