In a revealing assessment, the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices has exposed the deep-rooted corruption and severe human rights violations plaguing Zimbabwe. Despite the country having specialized anti-corruption courts in each of its 10 provinces, political meddling and inadequate investigations have significantly compromised these judicial efforts aimed at eradicating corruption.
On the ground, petty corruption is a daily ordeal for many Zimbabweans, as lower and mid-level officials, including police and local authorities, engage in corrupt activities. More concerning are the instances of grand corruption where high-ranking political figures abuse their power for personal enrichment. The Al Jazeera investigative series ‘Gold Mafia’ highlights such corruption, showing top officials involved in gold smuggling and money laundering operations across international banking networks in South Africa and the UAE. Notably, figures close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, including Ambassador-at-Large Uebert Angel and Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya, have been implicated in these schemes.
The efficacy of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is also called into question within the report. Handling 684 complaints in 2022, which marked a 38 percent drop from the year before, ZACC’s inability to prosecute has led to a recurring issue where corrupt individuals are arrested but seldom convicted.
The state of Zimbabwe’s prisons is another grim aspect highlighted in the report. Overcrowding, underfunding, and appalling conditions pose serious risks to inmate welfare. Issues such as food scarcity, inadequate clean water, and poor medical facilities are prevalent. The Harare Remand Prison is particularly notorious for its harsh conditions, with reports of frequent violence and abuses against inmates by guards. Even children under four, who live with their incarcerated mothers, face severe hardships, sharing limited food rather than receiving adequate nutrition separately.
The report also sheds light on the government’s failure to curb politically motivated violence. Detailed instances include the murder of Persuade Mandara by the Zimbabwe Republic Police under questionable circumstances related to grain theft, and the abduction and murder of CCC activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya, illustrating a pattern of impunity and state corruption.
During electoral periods, voter intimidation by entities linked to the Central Intelligence Organisation, masquerading as exit poll conductors, further corrodes the democratic process. Additionally, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations are consistently harassed and monitored, branded as national security threats or foreign agents. High-profile arrests, such as those of lawyers Doug Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi while they were representing victims of abduction and torture, exemplify the government’s broader strategy of stifling dissent and controlling narratives through fear and repression.
These dire conditions underscore a larger governance crisis in Zimbabwe, where state mechanisms are used as instruments of political leverage rather than serving the public good and ensuring accountability. Despite calls for significant reforms from both the international community and local activists, the future remains uncertain. Deep-seated corruption and ongoing violations of human rights paint a bleak picture for Zimbabwe, demanding urgent and substantial intervention to restore justice and human dignity.
The situation in Zimbabwe is beyond tragic – it’s a blatant violation of human rights at every level. From the top officials engaging in gold smuggling to the deplorable conditions in prisons, it’s clear that the government prioritizes personal gain over the well-being of its citizens. Where’s the accountability?
It’s outrageous that in 2023, Zimbabwe still faces such severe human rights abuses. The government’s use of state mechanisms to silence dissent and intimidate voters is a clear sign that they are more concerned with maintaining power than with protecting democracy. This level of corruption and repression is unacceptable.
It’s disheartening to see how corruption has become so deeply entrenched in Zimbabwe’s political system. The fact that even specialized courts can’t function without political interference shows just how broken the system is. Real change seems impossible when the very institutions meant to protect the people are part of the problem.
This report only confirms what many Zimbabweans have known for years: the government is rotten to the core. The failure of ZACC to secure convictions is just another example of how the rich and powerful continue to act with impunity. The international community’s calls for reform have fallen on deaf ears, and it’s the ordinary people who suffer the most.
While the situation in Zimbabwe is dire, reports like this are essential for bringing global attention to the struggles of the Zimbabwean people. It’s encouraging to see investigative journalism like Al Jazeera’s ‘Gold Mafia’ series bringing these issues to light. Awareness is the first step towards meaningful action.