The silence by the government and police following last week’s arson attacks at the Sapes Trust offices and the home of Constitutional Defence Forum member Gilbert Mbwende has been deafening.
Zimbabwe last Tuesday woke up to the alarming images of the Sapes Trust offices in Harare’s Belegravia area having been burnt down.
The building had been scheduled to host a press conference by prominent activists, who wanted to take a stand against Zanu PF’s push to tinker with the constitution in order to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in office for another two years when his term ends in 2028.
For most of that day the area was teeming with security forces whom we assume were carrying out initial investigations into the matter, but police have not indicated any progress in the probe.
On the same day, it emerged that Mbwende’s house in Harare had been burnt down and suspicions were that he was being targeted for his organisation’s stance on Zanu PF’s manoeuvres to amend the constitution.
The government should have said something by now to reassure citizens that their security would be guaranteed and that the terrorists behind the arson attacks would be accounted for.
We are gratified that the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) stepped in to fill that vacuum.
ZCC described the burning down of both premises as an assault on peace, human dignity and civil liberties.
- Authorities must act on arson attacks
- Anti –Mnangagwa term extension activist’s family lives in fear
Keep Reading
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission must conduct independent investigations to ensure perpetrators are held accountable,” the council said.
“Violence in any form, whether physical, verbal, or structural, undermines the peace we seek to build as a nation and erodes the trust necessary for democratic engagement
“Acts of intimidation and destruction only deepen divisions and threaten the vision of a peaceful and united Zimbabwe that we all want.”
We could not have said it better. President Emmerson Mnngagwa and his government must show leadership, by ensuring that its security arms get to the bottom of the matter and the perpetrators brought to justice.
Failure to deal with the cases decisively will embolden the arsonists to act with impunity.
The incidents were a huge dent on Zimbabwe’s image as it would be seen as a country where there is no rule of law and no tolerance for dissent.
Mnangagwa’s voice against political violence is needed before the cancer takes root in the country, especially in the midst of the raging debate over the controversial bid to extend his term.
