Brutal: Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched a crackdown on any opposition to Zimbabwe’s chairmanship of the SADC summit. (Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
As the 44th summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) approaches, with Zimbabwe poised to assume the chairmanship, the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched a systematic and brutal crackdown on activists, opposition members and citizens.
More than 160 people have been arrested in the lead-up to the summit on 17 August, including a one-year-old baby, in a bid to silence any form of dissent. The deafening silence from SADC member states in response to these egregious human rights abuses amounts to complicity, enabling Zimbabwe’s government to act with impunity.
This ongoing repression is a clear violation of international human rights standards and directly contravenes SADC’s own protocols, which are supposed to promote peace, security and democratic principles in the region.
Instead of upholding these values, SADC’s inaction is emboldening Zimbabwe’s authoritarian regime to continue its oppressive tactics, undermining the rule of law and compromising the region’s credibility on human rights.
The crackdown has been brutal and widespread. On 29 June, five members of the National Democratic Working Group were arrested at a private residence in Kuwadzana, in the capital Harare, for holding a meeting to discuss their monthly contributions to support vulnerable families.
Despite the innocuous nature of the gathering, the state labelled it as an “unsanctioned” meeting, resulting in the arrest of the participants.
The situation escalated further on 3 July, when six members of the Community Voices Zimbabwe media organisation were arrested in Gokwe, a town in Zimbabwe’s Midlands province. The group was reportedly participating in peaceful activities when the police swooped in, once again demonstrating the government’s zero tolerance for any form of civic engagement that is not directly controlled by the state.
The repression reached new heights on 24 July, when 44 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, including their leader Emmanuel Sitima, were arrested during a general council meeting.
The students were beaten before being taken into custody, and later released after being forced to pay fines for “disorderly conduct”. The charges were spurious at best, and the students have vowed to challenge their prosecution in court. This incident highlights the regime’s determination to suppress even the most peaceful forms of protest and expression.
On 31 July, state agents forcibly removed activists Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwezi and Vusumuzi Moyo from a plane and arrested them. The four were held for eight hours without access to legal representation.
The leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Robson Chere, was severely tortured during his detention, sustaining injuries so severe that they put him at risk of kidney failure if he did not receive adequate medical care.
These activists were charged with “disorderly conduct” for their participation in a peaceful protest outside the Harare magistrate’s court, where they were demanding the release of 76 members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), who were themselves facing politically motivated charges.
The repression has also targeted political leaders directly. On 1 August, Kariba MP John Houghton and 13 others were arrested in Kariba town for staging a peaceful demonstration against the continued incarceration of opposition leader Jameson Timba and 74 activists.
The same day, Bruce Moyo, a councillor from Bulawayo, was arrested by state agents for allegedly protesting against the government and denouncing the arrest of CCC members. He remains in custody, along with Bulawayo senator Gideon Shoko, who was also arrested on 1 August.
Further arrests followed on 2 August. Bishop Kevin Nyamakanga was taken into custody at his home in Harare, accused of plotting to incite public violence during the SADC summit.
In a related incident, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was arrested in Mutare and later transferred to Harare, where he was charged alongside Kelvin Gonde for participating in an “unlawful gathering and disorderly conduct”. Eleven residents of Mutare were also arrested for allegedly plotting acts of public violence aimed at disrupting the summit.
On 3 August, further incidents of arbitrary detention occurred. Brian Nyoni was taken into custody in Hwange and interrogated by police, who also confiscated his phone. He was released after two hours without charges.
On the same day, Tineyi Munetsi was arrested for his alleged participation in the January 2019 anti-government protests. Munetsi, who had contested the 2023 parliamentary elections, was targeted for his political activities.
The cycle of repression continued on 4 August, when opposition MP Daniel Molokele and councillor Ellen Zulu were summoned to Hwange police station. After two hours of questioning, they were released with a warning to refrain from mobilising protests during the SADC summit.
These arrests and detentions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of systematic repression that has characterised Mnangagwa’s presidency since he took office in 2017.
The Zanu-PF government’s actions are designed to instil fear, suppress dissent and maintain a tight grip on power. Despite this, SADC has remained conspicuously silent, failing to condemn these gross human rights violations or hold Zimbabwe accountable.
SADC’s inaction is not only a betrayal of its founding principles but also a green light for the Zimbabwean government to continue its crackdown.
By ignoring the plight of the Zimbabwean people, SADC is compromising its credibility and moral authority in the region. The organisation’s mandate is to promote peace, security, and human rights, but its failure to act in the face of such blatant abuses undermines these very goals.
As Zimbabwe prepares to assume the chairmanship of SADC, the organisation’s silence becomes even more troubling. The people of Zimbabwe deserve better, and so does the region. SADC must rise to its responsibilities and take a stand against the state violence in Zimbabwe. The international community, too, must hold Zimbabwe accountable for its actions and pressure SADC to live up to its commitments.
The future of Zimbabwe, and indeed the credibility of SADC, hangs in the balance. It is imperative that immediate action be taken to address this crisis, ensuring that the fundamental human rights of Zimbabweans are upheld and that the region does not descend further into a cycle of repression and instability.
Author Profile
Sibahle Zuma is a human rights and development practitioner with a focus on civic freedoms, climate activism and youth participation in policy and decision-making.