18 April 2022
Zimbabwe turns 42years today 18April 2022, Zimbabweans are celebrating this so-called Independence Day. I find myself disoriented and struggling to understand what exactly there is to celebrate. What does it mean to be Independent?
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has dominated politics since taking over power from colonial rule in 1980. ZANU-PF for the past 42 years has retained power through vote rigging and violent crackdown on political opposition parties, critical media, and other sources of dissent. Zimbabwe’s status declined from Partly Free to Not Free due to the ZANU-PF government intensifying persecution of opposition figures and civic activists. Despite President Emmerson Mnangagwa repeatedly voicing his commitments to human rights reforms, Zimbabwe remained highly intolerant of basic rights, peaceful dissent and freedom of expression.
Several civic society activists, opposition political leaders and other critics of the government are being arrested, beaten or tortured for simply exercising their constitutional rights of holding the government to account for their actions through peaceful demonstrations.
Zimbabweans are not yet free, therefore it is meaningless to celebrate Independence’s Day. This is the reason why Zimbabweans are scattered all over the world, we are running away from the oppressive government of Emmerson Mnangagwa.
#WeAreNotIndependentZw
#ZanuPfMustGo
By Vengai Mutsawu
About the author
Vengai Mutsawu is a Zimbabwean human rights activist and he is also the Branch Chairperson for the North Branch of the UK Chapter of ROHR Zimbabwe. He writes in his personal capacity in this instance.
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