The concerns were raised by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights).
ZimRights told The Zimbabwean On Tuesday this week that MDC supporters in Mutare had received a series of verbal threats from the secret agents with the help of Zanu (PF) youth deployed in the high density areas warning them against contributing views against the party in the constitutional outreach programmes.
Last week, some facilitators belonging to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union and an umbrella organisation for civil society groups (ZIMCODD) were arrested for allegedly holding meetings in the city.
In Mutare South, some Zanu (PF) councillors with the help of overzealous militia together with a group of some Zanu (PF) youth, disrupted an outreach meeting convened by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human rights, claiming that their political party had not sanctioned it.
Moses Daka of ZLHR said: “Security agents should strictly observe the principles of the Rule of Law and should adhere to the laws and regulations governing their operations.”
“We call upon the responsible authorities, including the Ministry of Defence, to penalise these elements without fear or favour,” added Daka.
Human rights group Amnesty International has also expressed its concerns about worsening human rights abuses, despite the formation of the unity government more than a year ago.
Amnesty’s Zimbabwe researcher, Simeon Mawanza said there was concern that the government had not made any meaningful reforms to rectify human rights abuse.
“By delaying reform, the situation in Zimbabwe remains fragile as perpetrators continue to escape justice and are instead effectively given the all clear to continue violating human rights,” Mawanza said.
The ZLHR also said in its mouth piece, The Legal Monitor, that it was frustrated by the continued selective application of the law by the police.
The chairman Andrew Makoni said in the bulletin:This society we live in is not the best place to be. It is unstable, uncertain and unjust. We have an inclusive government which has become exclusive, with partners in the same government singing from different hymn books. Human rights continue to be violated with impunity. The perpetrators who are known are unaccountable and continue to confidently roam the streets realising that they are untouchable.
It pointed out that human rights defenders continued to be arrested and prosecuted despite the formation of the inclusive government yet known perpetrators of political violence were roaming the streets free.
Last Tuesday during the official opening of the 3rd session of the Zimbabwean parliament in Harare Zanu (PF) demonstrated in front of the police and President Robert Mugabe against MDC-T party supporters and leader Morgan Tsvangirai but nothing was done to them.
Tsvangirai is on record calling for the complete overhaul of the countrys security sector. Former Home Affairs Minister Giles Mutsekwa also said it was impossible to control the police before reforming the Police Act.
He said the current law gave the President and the Attorney General, powers to give a verbal directive to police commissioner and restricted Home affairs minister from doing the same. He said at the moment core-Home Affairs Ministers had to first of all agree on an order they wanted to give to police Commissioner General and had to do that in writing.
Post published in: Politics