Armed police invaded Arnold farm in Mazowe and indiscriminately and arbitrarily demolished homes and set on fire personal belongings of some 200 families on 7 January 2014, prompting the affected villagers to approach the High Court for a relief through their lawyers, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. The affected families have been on the farm since the Government’s 2000 chaotic land reform exercise.
Although there were high hopes for the improvement on the protection of human rights following the adoption of the 2013 constitution, which has a progressive and expansive Bill of Rights, the Forum notes with great concern the relentless undermining of fundamental human rights by the State.
It is sad that despite the constitutionally guaranteed freedom from arbitrary evictions and right to shelter and dignity, the Mazowe families including young children have been left in the open during this rainy season.
We are also concerned by the State’s failure to obey court orders as the evictions were carried out despite an earlier High Court order issued in August 2014 protecting the Arnold Farm residents from arbitrary eviction under Section 74 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
We therefore call upon all arms of state to respect the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.
Post published in: Human Rights