Still No Accountability for Zimbabwe’s 2018 Abuses

• Eight years after the August 1, 2018 protests in Harare, justice remains elusive for the six people killed and 35 injured by Zimbabwe state security forces.
• President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence, but its recommendations for accountability have not been implemented.
• No security personnel involved in the 2018 violence have been arrested or prosecuted, and no broad compensation has been provided to victims as recommended by the commission, though some compensation for property damage or via legal action has occurred.
• This lack of accountability is part of a broader pattern, with security forces killing 17 people and raping at least 17 women during January 2019 fuel price protests.
• Since 2017, the Mnangagwa administration has committed serious human rights violations, restricting civic and political space through violence and repression.

Eight years later, the Mnangagwa administration has failed to implement these crucial Motlanthe Commission recommendations Zimbabwe, which included completing investigations to hold responsible members of the military and police to account.

On August 1, 2018, Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, became the scene of violent clashes as state security forces confronted individuals protesting delayed election results. During these demonstrations, six people were tragically killed, and 35 others sustained injuries. Eyewitness accounts provided to Human Rights Watch detailed how military officers and anti-riot police deployed excessive and lethal force against both protesters and bystanders. Security personnel indiscriminately discharged live ammunition into the crowds.

Among those who lost their lives was Sylvia Maposa, a 53-year-old mother of two, who was fatally shot in the back by soldiers while making her way home from work that afternoon. The brutal response by state forces highlighted a severe disregard for human life and the right to peaceful assembly.

In the immediate aftermath of the violence, President Emmerson Mnangagwa publicly committed to accountability, stating on August 2, 2018, that "those responsible should be identified and brought to justice" and calling for an independent investigation. Subsequently, he established the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry, tasked with investigating the August 2018 events and formulating recommendations. However, eight years later, the Mnangagwa administration has failed to implement these crucial Motlanthe Commission recommendations Zimbabwe, which included completing investigations to hold responsible members of the military and police to account.

This persistent lack of Zimbabwe 2018 protest accountability means that no security personnel have faced arrest or prosecution for their actions, and victims of the August 2018 Harare protest victims have received no broad compensation as recommended by the commission, with only some receiving compensation for property damage or through successful legal action. The government has taken few concrete steps since the 2018 protests to demonstrate a commitment to justice or the rule of law, perpetuating a cycle of state security force impunity Zimbabwe.

The failure to address the 2018 violence signals a deeper issue of state security force impunity Zimbabwe, which has fostered an environment conducive to further governmental abuse. This pattern became starkly evident during three days of nationwide demonstrations in January 2019, triggered by a fuel price increase. In response, security forces again resorted to lethal force, firing live ammunition and killing 17 people. Disturbingly, at least 17 women were also raped during these protests.

Since assuming power via a military coup in 2017, the Mnangagwa administration has been implicated in serious Zimbabwe human rights abuses 2018 and beyond, consistently demonstrating an unwillingness to institute lasting human rights reforms. The administration’s actions, characterized by violence, intimidation, harassment, and repression, have primarily targeted opposition party members, journalists, students, and civil society activists, severely curtailing civic and political freedoms.

This sustained culture of impunity, particularly concerning the August 2018 protest accountability, undermines the rule of law and perpetuates a cycle of state-sanctioned violence. The government's inaction on the Motlanthe Commission recommendations Zimbabwe has bred an atmosphere where governmental abuse and violence can occur without consequence, signaling significant human rights due diligence risks for any entities operating within the country.

For Zimbabwe to demonstrate genuine respect for human rights and adherence to legal principles, authorities must promptly act on the Motlanthe Commission recommendations without further delay, thereby beginning to dismantle the country’s entrenched cycle of impunity. The persistent lack of accountability for state-sponsored violence highlights the unlikelihood of effective domestic legal recourse for victims of state actions, impacting assessments of rule of law adherence and corporate social responsibility.

Lawyers and compliance officers advising clients with operations or interests in Zimbabwe should note the persistent lack of accountability for state-sponsored violence, which signals significant human rights due diligence risks, potential for state-sanctioned abuses, and the unlikelihood of effective domestic legal recourse for victims of state actions. This context impacts assessments of rule of law adherence and corporate social responsibility.

Source: Reporting on Zimbabwe's human rights record.