They took their campaign to the ZimRights offices in the area, expecting another walk in the park. Reeking of traditional beer, they left the offices with their tails between their legs after human rights defender and Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights) Deputy National Chairperson, Pelagia Razembe, openly defied signing the so called anti-sanctions petition.
I told them I do not know anything about sanctions that the West had imposed on Zimbabwe. I told them they should first educate me what sanctions really were. I am perhaps one out of every thousand people who defied them, she said, chuckling.
Few people have had the courage to resist the orders of so-called war veterans and Zanu (PF) youth, who are spearheading the campaign on behalf of the former ruling party. Like numerous other campaigns Zanu (PF) has used to stay in power for more than 30 years, this one was characterized by violence which the perpetrators have used wantonly over the years knowing they would evade prosecution through Presidential pardons and clemencies.
To Razembe and ZimRights colleagues, threats at hands of state security agents are routine. State security agents have kept us under surveillance and always checking the whereabouts of the leadership. Last time these visited our offices and demanded to know who ran our political department. There is nothing like that at ZimRights, Razembe says.
ZimRights is only one of several human rights and civil society organizations that have borne the brunt of the violence Zanu (PF) supporters have unleashed ahead of the next election, which Mugabe wants later this year despite signs the atmosphere will not be conducive.
Post published in: News