Reject politics of bribery, violence & cultism, ZimRights says
By Delicious Mathuthu
ZimRights has challenged Zimbabweans to be objective ahead of the upcoming 2023 harmonised elections and reject politics of bribery, violence and cultism.
In a statement, the human rights Non-Governmental Organisation said it is concerned with cases of violence, persecution and capture of key state institutions in the country, but did not specify any cases in particular.
“…the upcoming elections remain a cause of concern due to the increase in cases of violence, persecution of the opposition and the capture of key state institutions for partisan political objectives.
“The attitudes of political leaders, trying to use perishable goods to buy the elections goes against the spirit of people-centred politics that the independence promise represents.
“Elections must be about delivering on bread and butter issues, and not gaining power at all costs,” part of the ZimRights statement says.
The organisation challenged all aspiring candidates for the coming elections to subscribe to the recently introduced ZimRights manifesto which seeks to put human rights at the centre of their policies and the electoral process.
“ZimRights presents the People’s Human Rights Manifesto, launched on 12 April 2023, inviting all political candidates in the upcoming elections to sign up and make human rights the centre of their policies.
“The Manifesto further invites the people of Zimbabwe to reject the old politics of bribery, violence and cultism and focus on ensuring that leaders commit to and deliver on their human rights obligations, and that they are ready to be held to account,” the statement reads.
This comes as Zimbabwe celebrated 43 years of independence on the 18th of April, which the organisation says the country is still fighting to overcome some of the past struggles and violence.
“Years down the line, the nation has confronted many other successive struggles. The Zimbabwean nation born of the liberation war still struggles to heal and overcome the liberation war trauma and legacy.
“As early as 1982, the majority government turned the same colonial infrastructure of violence against its own people, mainly in the Midlands and Matebeleland, killing over 20 000 civilians in an atrocity that continues to haunt the nation.
“The 1980 promise of a free nation was quick to collapse. The commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights was forgotten.
“And the nation, once born with great promise has once again become a nightmare to its people.
“In 2005, the church leaders under the banner of the Heads of Christian Denominations (HOCD), bemoaned this situation and wrote;
‘All this we have lived each day, like prisoners in a concentration camp from the Zambezi to the Limpopo.’
“This is the situation of Zimbabwe and its people, 43 years after independence. The government has failed to uphold the independence promise,” part of the ZimRights statement reads.
ZimRights also bemoaned the continuation of enacting anti-people laws which it says are worsening the current unfavourable situation in the country where more than 4.5 million people have left Zimbabwe to look for better life in the diaspora.
“In all this, the
government has continued putting in place laws that do not help the situation but rather make it worse.
“The Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill (PVO Bill), the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill (a.k.a. the Patriot Bill) among others represent a nation that is fast walking back on the liberation promise and driving its citizens into one big concentration camp, the complete opposite of the independence promise of freedom and prosperity.
“ZimRights believes that it is not too late to halt the current trajectory.
“There is hope and resilience in the people. A people who fought against the colonial establishment to gain their independence in 1980 remain resolute to fight for their rights and regain their dignity.
“ZimRights calls upon the government of Zimbabwe to reflect on the independence promise and align its policies in line with that promise.
“Laws like the PVO Bill and the Patriot Bill do not represent the Zimbabwe that Zimbabweans embraced in 1980, but rather the Rhodesia that the people rejected.
“Such laws must be withdrawn and an all-inclusive dialogue process must be started to address the concerns raised on the operation of civil society organisations,” reads the statement.
The organisation also called for a thorough investigation into the allegations raised in the Al Jazeera ‘Gold Mafia’ documentary.
“Gold Mafia does not represent the prosperity and leadership ethos that the people celebrated in 1980 but rather the selfishness and ruthlessness of the elite that the people rejected.
“A thorough investigation must be commissioned urgently into allegations of corruption and perpetrators must be held accountable,” it says.
Kwedu Classics
Your story our story