HARARE – Observers have called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to address the ongoing political crisis in Zimbabwe ahead of the regional body’s 44th summit to be held in Harare on the 17th of August 2024.
Zimbabwe is expected to take over the rotational chairmanship of SADC during the summit.
Observers are engaging SADC over concerns regarding the recent arrest and continued detention of Jameson Timba, leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) faction, and 78 opposition activists in June, who were accused of attending an “illegal gathering” while commemorating the Day of the African Child.
Since then, additional arrests have been made, including Kariba legislator John Houghton and a dozen party activists, who were charged after holding a peaceful demonstration in the resort town demanding the release of their colleagues.
More than 100 political activists are currently in prison over the charges of plotting demonstrations.
In a separate incident, four human rights defenders, Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwenzi, and Vusumuzi Moyo, were removed from a plane moments before takeoff at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and later charged with disorderly conduct.
Chere was reportedly tortured during an eight hour detention.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for the respect of human rights, on Friday issued a statement calling on SADC to pressure President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to institute democratic reforms.
The coalition expressed concern over the continued alleged shrinking of the democratic space and political conflicts within Zimbabwe, including the entrenchment of one-party statism, militarization of key state institutions, and clampdown on opposition and civil society activists.
The statement highlighted the recent alleged human rights violations, including abductions, arbitrary arrests, and continued detention of opposition and civil society activists, and called on SADC to assist Zimbabwe in respecting the voices of its citizens and creating a conducive environment for economic growth and peace.
“We plead with the SADC leadership to continue to assist Zimbabwe to respect the voices of its citizens as a primary basis to create a conducive environment for economic growth and peace,” Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson Marvellous Kumalo said in a statement.
“Zero-sum politics must have no place, especially in former front-line states where many sons and daughters of the region made the ultimate sacrifice for such freedoms.
“Whilst it appears insurmountable, we believe it is possible to come together, respect our Constitution, and build a prosperous, inclusive, and tolerant democracy in Zimbabwe.
“It is worrying to note that Zimbabwe is the incoming Chair of the SADC at a time the situation prevailing in the country goes against the SADC guidelines on democracy and governance.”
Addressing a press conference on Thursday evening, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe warned the opposition that the government will not tolerate any attempts to protest ahead of the SADC summit.
He accused opposition activists, pressure groups, and human rights defenders of being “power-hungry” and seeking to undermine Mnangagwa’s presidency. Kazembe claimed that these groups are holding secret meetings locally and internationally to plan civil disobedience and unrest.
“We will not be apologetic to exercise that mandate given the will of the people through universally acknowledged processes.
“It must be recognized that those pushing for protest did not exploit internal legal remedies to their purported electoral grievances.
“They instead, think that political power can be obtained undemocratically and unconstitutionally,” Kazembe said.
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has also condemned the arrest of Kwekweza and three others. He urged SADC to rebuke the Zanu-PF regime over the matter.
“The arrest torture and abduction of 4 activists, including Namatai Kwekweza and Vusi Moyo, is yet another example of authoritarian paranoia by a desperate regime oblivious to constitutionalism and the rule of law.
“SADC must hold this regime to account for its brutal brazen acts,” Biti said.