all sectors of the economy, against runaway public expenditures, while government borrowing from banks to finance the deficit, has effectively crowded out the private sector.15 In the midst of the accumulation of debt, foreign currency reserves have plummeted compounding Zimbabwe’s currency crisis. In an attempt to address the lack of US Dollars in circulation, the government introduced a quasi-currency in 2016 through the issuance of USD 10 million in ‘bond notes.’16 In December 2018, doctors went on strike demanding that they be paid in US Dollars and not in bond notes.17 Other public workers such as teachers threatened to protest outside the Finance Minister’s office until their demands to be paid in US Dollars were met. On 8 January 2019, Cecilia Alexander, chairperson of the Apex council - an umbrella body for public service unions - gave notice to strike by all public servants.18 "The reason for this step is premised on the incapacitation of our members and the failure by government to address the same. The incapacitation comes in the wake of the erosion of our static salaries due to the skyrocketing cost of living," said Alexander. The deepening economic crisis has had severe impact on people, especially on the poor and most vulnerable including women, children and people with special needs. Over 90 per cent of people are in the informal economy or otherwise unemployed.19 Access to basic services such as education, housing, health, water and sanitation is limited.20 The government has an obligation to take steps to achieve all human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as guaranteed under the ICESCR. Amnesty International has documented government failures in meeting its obligations to ensure that those that are especially vulnerable have special measures to address their vulnerabilities.21 Against this background, an environment in which human rights violations and abuses have continued unabated has thrived. GROWING FEAR President Mnangagwa’s tenure has been plagued by a cloud of fear arising from the actions of the security forces and factionalism within the ZANU-PF raising questions about dual centres of power resulting in contradictory messaging from the government and ultimately paralysis in addressing gross human rights violations.22 Amnesty International has received many accounts of people fearing for their lives. Some civil society activists interviewed told Amnesty International that their fears had grown especially since the 1 August 2018 violence. “‘I am increasingly worried that I am being followed. I fear that I may be the next person in the dock because of the arbitrariness with which arrests are being made.” Lawyer whose identity cannot be revealed for his protection Interview with Godfrey Kanyenze, Director, Labour Economic Development Research Institute Zimbabwe, 31 January 2019 Announcement by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on 28 November 2016: Widely reported in local and international media. The bond note was touted to be at par with the US Dollar in 2016, but by January 2019, people’s purchasing power had been greatly reduced at a rate of 3 bond notes to 1 US Dollar, while their incomes remained static 17 Al Jazeera interview with Mathabisi Bebhe, secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, which represents more than 1,000 members, 3 December 2018 18 “Zimbabwe Public Workers threaten to join strike”, Reuters, 9 January 2019. This was also reported in other news media in Zimbabwe 19 This figure represents the proportion of people in the informal economy including those working f or family business or paid employees not entitled to paid leave. Taken from the Labour Force Survey 2014 20 In 2014, the United Nations Development Program’s Development Assistance Framework, revealed that Zimbabwe experienced socioeconomic difficulties which resulted in the deterioration of basic social services. Significant challenges were experienced in education, health delivery, water and sanitation (especially in urban and peri-urban areas). The Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) has also noted a deterioration in access to basic services in its publication “My Socio-Economic Rights”. 21 The most recent documentation was in “Breaking Away from the Past – A Human Rights Manifesto for Zimbabwe’s Political Parties and Candidate” – Amnesty International AFR 46/8736/2018 22 A prominent Zimbabwean, academic, author and publisher, Ibbo Mandaza said in an interview with Amnesty International on 28 January 2019 that multiple fractures are currently more evident following the military-assisted transition of 2017, but have been a feature of Zimbabwe’s political economy since the government led military intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1990 15 16 ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS, CLOSED FOR DISSENT’ CRACKDOWN IN ZIMBABWE DURING THE NATIONAL STAY-AWAY, 14-16 JANUARY 2019 Amnesty International 6