Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. More than 1600 cases of organised violence and torture have been reported during and after the recent elections in Zimbabwe. According to Vongai Tome, a member of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), women human rights defenders have been the primary targets of these incidents. Speaking during a dialogue on organised violence against women human rights defenders, Tome said the cases documented include various forms of violence, including rape. NewZimbabwe cites her as saying:
We have over 1 600 cases that were recorded during the pre-election, during election and post-election.
We have women whose houses were burnt, in Mashonaland West we had 8 women whose houses were burnt and they do not have anywhere to lay their hands just because they are women who have taken part in the election as polling agents.
According to Vongai Tome, there have been six recorded cases of organised violence and torture (OVT) against women human rights defenders and politicians in Masvingo. In other regions, there have been four cases in Manicaland, three in Matabeleland South, and ten in Mashonaland East. In Mashonaland Central and Midlands provinces, there have been thirteen cases, including both men and women.
She said many of the victims, including councillors, have sustained severe injuries such as broken limbs and kidney failure due to the violence. Some women have been targeted because their husbands were polling agents, and even children have been subjected to violence. This violence is seen as a way to marginalize women in spaces traditionally dominated by men. Additionally, some women have lost their jobs or rental spaces due to their political affiliations.
During the August 2023 elections in Zimbabwe, observers both locally and internationally noticed several irregularities, including voter intimidation. Members of the opposition party CCC were particularly targeted. In a tragic incident, a CCC supporter named Tinashe Chitsunge was stoned to death by ZANU PF supporters during a CCC rally in Harare’s Glen View township. This horrible act of violence occurred just 20 days before the elections took place.
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