Protests started escalating in June - ZPP

The Zimbabwe Peace Project has reported that the country started seeing the escalation of protest against the government this year in June.

In a statement ZPP said in the month of June Zimbabwe witnessed an escalation in protests mostly driven by non political party actors.

"Some of the protesting groups included the Occupy Africa Unity Square movement which is a group of citizen activists founded by the disappeared Itai Dzamara in 2014. Another prominent movement was the #ThisFlag campaign which is led by Pastor Evan Mawarire. Another protest movement was dubbed #Tajamuka / #Sesijikile which is a conglomeration of youths from various political and civic groups protesting against gross human rights violations and political repression," reads the statement.

"The other protestors were members of the National Vendors' Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) who protested against Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's continued stay at Rainbow Towers hotel. The protests were mostly driven by discontent over the deteriorating social and economic conditions. In addition the protests also highlighted the rampant human rights abuses and corruption. The protests demonstrated the nexus between socio economic rights (SER) and civil and political rights (CPR) in Zimbabwe."

ZPP said the state response to the protests was characterised by repression and labelling. On 8 and 9 June fifteen (15) activists from Occupy Africa Unity Square were arrested.

"Five of them were charged with robbery (which they argued was a fake robbery). The other ten were charged with Defeating or Obstructing the course of justice, a crime they apparently committed in trying to prevent the arrest of the first five. On 20 June police pounced on Africa Unity Square protestors and assaulted them before ordering them off the park," reads the statement.

"The assaults were a violation of Section 59 of the Constitution which states that every person has the right to demonstrate and petition as long as the processes are conducted in a peaceful manner. NAVUZ chairperson Sten Zvorwadza, was on 26 June arrested at the Rainbow Towers hotel after he and others members staged a protest. He was charged with contravening the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act for allegedly threatening to burn down the hotel and for malicious damage to property."

ZPP said Zvorwadza was arrested with three other activists; Don Mavhudzi, Tendai Kagodora and Liberty William.

"Among those arrested were five journalists who were covering the demonstration at the hotel. Apart from the assaults and arrests of protestors, a government Minister accused the protestors of being sponsored by the West while protesters insisted they were spurred on by real issues that they continued to face. The response of the state to the protests was likely to provoke more protests," ZPP said.

"The deteriorating socio economic situation in Zimbabwe has shown that SER are a major and growing source of violent conflicts throughout the country. It is also evident that in many cases SER are as politically motivated and politicised as other human rights abuses. ZPP is convinced that SER violations are part of a framework constituting structural violence that prevents sustainable peace."