SALO Zimbabwe Civil Society Briefing – 17 June 2022

The Southern African Liaison Office (SALO) held a civil society briefing to discuss the recent developments in Zimbabwe, particularly in the run-up to the 2023 national elections.

This briefing allowed Zimbabwean civil society leaders to provide an update on the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe and other aspects of the political and economic crisis.

There have been a number of alleged politically-motivated attacks and abductions since the municipal by-elections in May. On 11 June 2022, CCC activist Moreblessing Ali’s dismembered body was discovered dumped in a well in Beatrice. She had been missing for over two weeks after allegedly being abducted by suspected ZANU-PF supporters. CCC member, Langelihle Dube, was also killed in Bulawayo last week by a machete gang. The worsening economic, social, and political crisis in Zimbabwe has ramifications for the SADC region and, in particular, South Africa. The shrinking of the democratic space in Zimbabwe has not shown any signs of slowing down and state intervention has further led to an even more fragmented and weakened civil society and opposition. It is crucial to amplify the voices of ordinary Zimbabweans in the lead-up to the 2023 national elections, and to keep Zimbabwe on South Africa’s public agenda.