September 2018
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
cholera epidemic in Harare is also indicative of unfulfilled socio-economic rights that the government is obligated to
fulfil. This has resulted in the loss of 49 lives and more than 7 000 cases reported and requiring treatment.
Government has only started to remove vendors from the streets saying this is necessary to combat cholera.
However, the political economy of the country where 90% of the economic activities occur in the informal sector
means that government is interfering with the livelihoods of thousands of citizens and in the process violating other
rights. The typhoid outbreak in Gweru also resulted in the right to health being compromised. Efforts to remove
vendors from the streets who stand accused of helping spread the disease ended in violence as the vendors pelted
police with stones.
Conclusion
Ambition in the opposition party and retribution in the ruling party are the main drivers of intra-party conflict which
has turned violent in some cases. Reprisals against opposition party activists are responsible for most cases of
displacement while in urban areas, the eviction of vendors as well as arbitrary evictions from housing cooperatives
have resulted in displacements as well as the violation of the right to adequate housing and provided for under
Sections 28, 71 and 74 of the Zimbabwean Constitution as well as the general comments of the International
Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural rights with specific reference to the General Comments 4 and 7, the right
to shelter and the right from arbitrary eviction. Overall, the environment is calm with most of the violations centred
around lingering pre-election and election period contestations.
Recommendation
Increase visibility of the Commission of Inquiry by publicising it’s terms of reference and mandate through
state and private media including broadcast media in all the languages including sign language.
The Commission of Inquiry whose tenure is 90 days should deliberately issue principles for the protection of
victims and witnesses and also to guarantee their safety if they choose to make submissions.
We urge the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to investigate and make punitive measures against those
engaging in partisan food distribution based on its previous report and findings
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