On July 31, 2020, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivered a televised address at the burial of minister Perence Shiri in Harare, labeling opposition groups and protesters “terrorists” and vowing to “flush out bad apples” destabilizing the nation, per UN records.
The speech responded to planned anti-government protests over alleged corruption and COVID-19 mismanagement, which security forces suppressed, arresting at least 60 activists, per Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZHLR).
Crackdown on Dissent
Zimbabwean activists, led by the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC), called for street protests on July 31 to address 700% inflation, unemployment, and hospital overcrowding, with COVID-19 patients turned away in Harare, per WHO data. Police banned the protests, citing public health risks, and arrested key figures like MDC spokesperson Fadzai Mahere and journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who exposed fraudulent COVID-19 contracts, per Amnesty International. Mahere secured bail but surrendered her passport, while Chin’ono awaited a hearing, per ZHLR.
#ZimbabweanLivesMatter Movement
The crackdown sparked the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter hashtag, echoing #BlackLivesMatter, as Zimbabweans condemned police brutality and abductions, per UNOCHA. Over 100 African writers and journalists petitioned the African Union (AU) to suspend Zimbabwe for human rights abuses, criticizing the AU and Southern African Development Community (SADC) for their silence, per African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR). Activist Makomborero Haruzivishe, in hiding, called Mnangagwa’s speech “shallow,” reflecting widespread frustration, per UN records.
Regional Context
Zimbabwe’s 2020 crisis mirrors regional challenges. Gambia faced COVID-19 strains with ministers testing positive, per a previous artifact, while Cameroon’s Boko Haram attack, per another artifact, compounded insecurity. Zimbabwe’s economic woes, with gold smuggling allegations against Mnangagwa’s allies, per later 2023 Al Jazeera investigations, fueled unrest, per UNCTAD. The government’s use of COVID-19 measures to curb dissent drew criticism from ACHPR’s Solomon Dersso for violating legality and proportionality principles.
Human Rights Concerns
Mnangagwa’s administration faced accusations of continuing Robert Mugabe’s repressive tactics, per Amnesty International. On May 2020, seven activists, including Stabile Dewah, were arrested for attending a non-violent protest workshop, charged with plotting to overthrow the government. Comedian Samantha Kureya faced abduction and torture for a police brutality skit, highlighting a pattern of silencing dissent, per UN records. MDC reported illegal house raids in Kwekwe and Bulawayo, with members hiding to avoid brutality.
Path Forward
With 1,576 COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in Zimbabwe by August 2020, per Africa CDC, the government’s focus on suppressing protests over addressing healthcare and economic crises drew global condemnation. The AU and SADC’s inaction, contrasted with their response to George Floyd’s killing, underscored regional inconsistencies, per ACHPR. For stability, Zimbabwe must prioritize human rights, transparent COVID-19 management, and economic reforms, as 90% of its 15 million population faced poverty.
