Chiedza Kambari: Choosing Courage Over Silence

 23^rd April 2026

My name is Chiedza Kambari, and I am a voice for Zimbabwe.

​I speak not just for myself, but for a nation of people who carry the heavy weight of our country’s
future on their shoulders. Today, the Zimbabwean experience is defined by struggle: the daily battle against economic instability, the loss of essential services, and the shadow of increasingly restrictive measures on our freedom. These are the quiet heartbreaks of every household, affecting the safety and dreams of our children.

​As a mother, my advocacy is personal. I want my children to inherit a nation, not a crisis. I want them to grow up in a land where rights are inherent, not conditional.

​I recently stood in peaceful protest against Bill Number 3. My presence there was a simple demand for dignity. We deserve a Zimbabwe where the law protects the person rather than the powerful—a country where we can speak our truth without looking over our shoulders.

​To speak out is not to be "difficult." It is to be brave. It is believed that the status quo is not our destiny. When we stand together, our collective voice becomes a force that cannot be ignored.

​Zimbabwe is our home. It belongs to the many, not the few. It is time we built a future rooted in justice, equality and mutual respect.

​I am Chiedza Kambari. I refuse to be silent. I choose to lead with my voice, hence my participation in the Demonstration against the Constitutional Amendment Bill #3 (CAB3) at the Zimbabwe Embassy and our petitioning of the British Prime Minister at his office in London on 21^st April 2026.

We are not done with the resistance yet. Emmerson Mnangagwa must expect more from us.

#NoTo2030
#CAB3
#NoToCAB3
#No2CAB3
#Zimbabwe
#HumanRights
#ROHRZimbabwe

About the author
Chiedza Kambari is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is in the Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She can be contacted by email at kambarichiedza@gmail.com 

Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2030 Agenda is nonsense – by Romancia Chiomba

22^nd April 2026

Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe, must be thinking Zimbabweans are stupid – we are not.

He started his 2030 Agenda years back, first introducing it as “word" from some obscure ZANU-PF cells and then growing it to a cacophony through various rented mouthpieces, until it evolved into a ZANU-PF Congress resolution, whilst all along he professed to be the ultimate constitutionalist who would not seek office beyond his second term, which ends in 2028.

Now he is making it appear as if he is being forced by the ZANU-PF congress resolution.

No, we won’t allow it. We are not stupid. Our gloves are off.

Our demonstrations on 18^th April 2026 (at the Zimbabwe Embassy in London) and 21^st April 2026 (at the Zimbabwe Embassy in London), and our petition to the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, London, on 21st April 2026, are only the beginning of a campaign against Mnangagwa’s nefarious agenda.

We say no to amending the provisions of the constitution concerned with the Presidential and Parliamentary terms without a referendum.

Mnangagwa can buy parliamentarians, but he cannot buy the discerning citizens who happen to be the majority.

#NoTo2030
#CAB3
#NoToCAB3
#No2CAB3
#Zimbabwe
#HumanRights
#ROHRZimbabwe

About the author
Romancia Chiomba is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is the Treasurer for the North Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She can be contacted by email at  romancia.chiomba@rohr-zimbabwe.org OR romanciachiomba @gmail.com 

Zimbabwe Nurses’ Strike: A Symptom of Systemic Human Rights Violations

Written by  Rumbidzai Thelma Chidewu

20^th April 2026

The recent announcement by the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) that nurses across the country

have embarked on a strike to protest poor salaries lays bare a critical human rights crisis in Zimbabwe. What appears on the surface as a labour dispute is, in reality, a direct violation of fundamental rights enshrined in international law—rights that the government has consistently failed to uphold.

According to the statement shared by ZINA, healthcare workers have declared “enough is enough” as they take action against inadequate pay and poor working conditions in government hospitals. This action comes even after a ZIG 1000 payment was deposited into their accounts this month, an amount clearly insufficient to cover basic living costs amid Zimbabwe’s severe economic instability. By failing to provide fair and livable wages, the government is in direct breach of Article 7 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees the right to just and favourable conditions of work, including fair remuneration ensuring a decent standard of living for workers and their families. Zimbabwe is a signatory to this treaty, meaning these obligations are legally binding.

The consequences of this failure extend far beyond the nurses themselves. When healthcare staff are forced to down tools due to economic desperation, access to medical services collapses. Patients—including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with life-threatening conditions—are left without essential care. This situation violates Article 12 of the ICESCR, which recognises the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Additionally, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being; this right is being denied to both health workers and the patients they serve.

Critics have also accused ZINA of aligning with President Mnangagwa’s 2030 agenda, a claim that adds another layer to the crisis. Many view the government’s handling of labour negotiations as a political tool, using economic pressure to silence dissent and maintain control. This reflects a broader pattern in which state institutions are weaponised against workers, undermining the rights to freedom of association and the right to strike, as protected by Article 8 of the ICESCR and Convention 87 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which Zimbabwe has ratified. When workers are forced to choose between feeding their families and keeping their jobs, or when their representative bodies are perceived as compromised by state influence, their ability to advocate for their rights is severely eroded.

Furthermore, these economic and social rights violations do not exist in isolation. Under Article 2(1) of the ICESCR, States Parties are required to take steps, individually and through international assistance, to achieve the full realisation of these rights progressively. The current crisis demonstrates that the Zimbabwean government has not only failed to make progress but has actively allowed conditions to deteriorate, putting the lives and dignity of its people at risk.

For years, international organisations and human rights groups have documented how the Zimbabwean government repeatedly violates economic and social rights, often as a by-product of political repression. The nurses’ strike is not an isolated event but part of a systemic failure in which state policies prioritise the retention of power over citizens' welfare. Until the government respects its international obligations, ensures fair wages, allocates resources transparently, and allows workers to organise freely, such protests will continue—and the human rights of ordinary Zimbabweans, including the right to life, will remain under severe threat.

Lack of adequate healthcare results in unnecessary deaths, thereby impacting the right to life.

As a human rights activist, I implore the government of Zimbabwe to address this matter urgently.

About the author
Rumbidzai Thelma Chidewu is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is a member of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She can be contacted by email at rumbidzaithelmazhanje@gmail.com

Free Madzibaba VeShanduko: The injustice of jailing a man for free speech - by Vengai Mutsawu

 23rd February 2026

Free Madzibaba VeShanduko: The injustice of jailing a man for free speech

By Vengai Mutsawu

As of today, February 23, 2026, the case of Godfrey Karembera, the Zimbabwean opposition activist widely known as Madzibaba VeShanduko, stands as a stark and troubling symbol of the state’s crackdown on dissent.

Here is an innocent man, incarcerated for no legitimate crime, caught in the gears of a justice system used to silence government critics. This article chronicles the details of his arrest, the controversial charges against him, and the ongoing campaign for his release.

Godfrey Karembera, a 47-year-old staunch supporter of former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, is not new to confrontation with the authorities. His journey as an activist has been marked by repeated run-ins with the law and tragic personal attacks. In April 2025, his family home in Guruve was petrol bombed by unknown assailants. While Karembera was not home, his 17-year-old son, Laxmore, was injured rescuing younger siblings as the family’s property was reduced to ashes.

His history with the police includes a 2022 arrest for allegedly calling officers “dogs” and for wearing yellow clothing associated with the opposition CCC party. In another case in 2023, he was removed from remand after his lawyers successfully argued that the state was unfairly delaying his trial on charges of trying to deface a statue, highlighting a pattern of legal challenges that have ultimately failed to hold up in court.

The current chapter of Karembera’s troubles began in October 2025. Police launched a manhunt for him, alleging he had fled during a high-speed chase while distributing fliers in the Harare suburbs of Machipisa, Glen View, and Budiriro. However, the circumstances of his eventual arrest paint a far darker picture than a simple traffic stop.

According to his lawyer, Paida Saurombe, and human rights organizations, Karembera was not simply arrested. He was first abducted by unidentified men in unmarked vehicles, tortured for several hours, and only later dumped at Harare Central Police Station.

When he appeared in court, his lawyer stated that his “body bears the marks of severe abuse”.

Amnesty International has previously condemned such actions, noting that attacks on opposition figures are “meant to intimidate political opposition supporter”.

The charges against Karembera stem from the planned “One Million Men March,” an ant-government demonstration called for 17 October 2025, by outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza. The protest was aimed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing his administration of betrayal, corruption, and looting.

The state alleges that Karembera conspired to incite the public to participate in this unsanctioned gathering. Prosecutors claim he printed and distributed fliers bearing messages like “STOP THE LOOTNG,” and “ZIMBABWE IS NOT FOR SALE,” and “ONE MILLION MAN MARCH”.

Additionally, he is accused of recording a video urging citizens to gather at Africa Unity Square and posting it on WhatsApp and Facebook.

His legal team argues these actions are simply forms of political expression, not crimes. When his lawyer challenged his placement on remand as unlawful, Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai dismissed the application, and Karembera was denied bail. The case has since become a legal quagmire. In a significant development, on February 10, 2026, another magistrate, Ruth Moyo, was forced to recuse herself from his bail application after the defence alleged bias, arguing that Karembera had “lost confidence in the impartiality of the court”.

Karembera’s case does not exist in a vacuum. He is one of at least ten, including war veterans, who were denied bail in connection with the same October protests. His detention is viewed by rights groups as part of a “fresh wave of abductions and torture” aimed at silencing critics of President Mnangagwa’s alleged plot to extend his rule beyond 2028 constitutional limit.

The state has signalled it may also use the controversial Patriotic Act, a 2023 law with vague wording that criminalizes conduct deemed to injure the national interest, which critics argue is designed to “enable abuse and suppress legitimate political organising”.

As the months in custody stretch on, the call for his release has grown louder. A recent opinion piece published on February 11, 2026, was titled simply: “Free Madzibaba VeShanduko: A man who committed no crime must not die in prison”. The sentiment encapsulates the view of his supporters, who see him as a political prisoner.

For now, Godfrey Karembera remains in remand prison. His fate is scheduled to be decided on February 24, 2026, when the case goes to trial. Until then, his case remains a powerful and troubling test of Zimbabwe’s commitment to justice, human rights and the freedom of expression.

#FreeGodfreyKaremberaNow

#FreeMadzibabaVeShanduko

#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners

#HumanRights

#Zimbabwe

About the author
Vengai Mutsawu is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. He is the Secretary of the UK Chapter and Chairperson of the North Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  He can be contacted by email at vengai.mutsawu@rohr-zimbabwe.org or vengaimutsawu1@yahoo.com