The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has bemoaned an increase in a number of human rights violations, citing the El Niño induced drought and deepening cash crisis as major causes of socio-economic violations.
By Moregiven Sithole
In its Human Rights Violations Monthly Monitoring Report, the human rights watchdog blamed the ruling Zanu Pf party as the major culprit in civil and political rights violations.
ZPP said it recorded the highest incidences of school children who were sent away from school despite the pronouncement by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora that pupils should not lose lessons for failure to pay school fees.
“This May ZPP recorded the highest number of incidences where pupils were sent away from school for failure to pay school fees or clear the previous term’s arrears. This was in contravention of Section 75 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to basic education.’’
“At the beginning of the academic year, in January, ZPP recorded cases where students’ results were withheld because they owed fees. There were nine cases in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North, of pupils barred from attending lessons because they had not yet paid their fees. Such cases increased significantly this month. All ten provinces were marred with cases where children were denied their right to education because their parents could not afford to pay fees on time,”ZPP reported.
“At Nkanyezi Primary School in Lobengula, Bulawayo, nine pupils were withdrawn from Early Childhood Development (ECD) after their parents failed to raise $64,” the human rights watch dog continued.
ZPP took a swipe at ZANU PF for forcing people to contribute towards President Robert Mugabe’s Youth interface rally which was held recently in Marondera.
“In areas like Mudzi and Wedza in Mashonaland East, people were coerced into contributing money ranging from 50 cents to a dollar in order to ferry supporters to the rally. This went against the will of many people who support the party but could not afford and those that do not support the party and had no ambitions of attending the event,”ZPP reported.
The watchdog for human rights continued, “ZPP is in possession of a list of teachers’ names from Munamba Primary School in Murehwa District who were forced to each contribute $1 towards preparations for the rally. It’s a violation of freedom of association to force people into contributing funds for and or attending events of a political party that they do not subscribe to.”
ZPP also noted that MDC T supporters engaged in acts of violence against Zanu Pf members.
“It is alleged that ward 6 MDC-T deputy organizing secretary, Didymus Bande, and vice-chairperson, Philip Muzerengi, assaulted three Zanu PF members who refused to allow MDC-T to conduct door to door campaigns on 13 May. These MDC-T supporters are also accused of taking $53 from the Zanu PF supporters. Bande and Muzerengi are also alleged to have assaulted Zanu PF youth political commissar for Epworth district when he discouraged his relatives from joining MDC-T,” said ZPP.
ZPP has urged political parties in the country to respect the right to freedom of association and assembly.