March 11-18, 2015

Prison riot near Harare

Independent media

Daily News, March 15, 2015

“Deadly unrest rocks Zim” by Fungi Kwaramba

• Unrest and a “morbid spirit of lawlessness” are rampant in Zimbabwe. This is exemplified by a recent riot at Chikurubi prison. The anger is ostensibly directed at Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF government.
• Opposition parties have said that unless the volatile situation is quickly mitigated by civil society groups, the government and political parties, Zimbabwe could become completely ungovernable.
  
• Looming hunger and renewed fear of the state are laying the path to Zimbabwe becoming a completely failed state.
• Maxwell Saungweme, a political scientist, said that the riots at Chikurubi are a sign of things to come and also indicate the dire situation that the government is in. Obert Gutu of the MDC-T stated that the Chikurubi riot is a sign of a failed state and that the dictatorship of the Zanu PF is in its twilight.

State-owned media

The Herald, March 14, 2015

“900 Chikurubi inmates run riot” by Freeman Razemba

• A riot a Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison has left one inmate dead and eleven other individuals wounded. Hundreds of Support Unit officers were called in to quell the three-hour long riot.
• Prison officials claim that the riot began when prisoners became dissatisfied with the relish and vegetables they had been given for lunch.
  
• The prisoner who died was allegedly killed in a stampede and was not killed by security forces, according to a prison official.
• The prison holds 4,663 prisoners but the areas of the prison where the riot broke out hold approximately 1,000 prisoners.
  
• The Herald noted that the prison system has failed to meet the dietary standards of prisoners. Scurvy is not uncommon in the prison system. The prison system released a statement indicating that budgetary constraints were affecting food services in Zimbabwean prisons.

MDC appears to be target of government again

Independent Media

Daily News, March 13, 2015

“MDC under police siege” by Fungi Kwaramba

• Riot police have cordoned off the MDC headquarters in Harare after demonstrations against the disappearance of human rights activist Itai Dzamara.
• Spokesperson for the MDC-T, Obert Gutu has said that the cordon has heightened fears of a major crackdown of political opponents of Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF.
• Police demanded to enter Harvest House, the headquarters of the MDC. The police claimed that a helmet and baton had been taken during a demonstration demanding the release of Itai Dzamara. The police appeared to believe that the items were in Harvest House, or wanted to enter the building under the pretext of wanting their things back.

Daily News, March 13, 2015

“Tsvangirai to report Mugabe to Sadc” by Jeffrey Muvundusi

• Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said that he will report Robert Mugabe’s “lawless running of the country” to the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
• Tsvangirai intends to write the SADC regarding Mugabe’s alleged manipulation of Judges in a case that has been brought against him by former Zanu PF presidential advisor Didymus Mutasa.
• Tsvangirai also criticized the SADC for seemingly contradictory statement regarding elections in Zimbabwe. Elections were seen by SADC observers as being neither free nor fair, but endorsed the outcome of the election regardless.
  
• Vis-à-vis the case of missing human rights activist Itai Dzamara, Tsvangirai accused the Zanu PF of using terror tactics.

Itai Dzamara, human rights activist, abducted

Independent Media

Daily News, March 13, 2015

“Dzamara’s whereabouts still unknown” by Mugove Tafirenyika

• Four days after he was abducted out of a hair salon, the whereabouts of human rights activist Itai Dzamara are still unknown. Police spokesperson, Charity Charamba said that Dzamara had not been found.
  
• The 36 year old journalist previously led the ‘Occupy Africa’ movement at Unity Square in Harare. He was abducted in daylight by men who are ostensibly state security agents. Dzamara was allegedly accused of having stolen an animal before being pushed into a vehicle with a blurred license plate.
• The MDC walked out of parliament in response to the National Assembly Speaker, Reuben Marumahoko’s refusal to hear the topic of Dzamara’s abduction

• Itai Dzamara was abducted on Monday, March 9, 2015 by suspected state security agents and is still missing. The activist had been demonstrating peacefully and demanding the resignation of Robert Mugabe. His family is thankful for public support they have received.
• Dzamara was working with a youth group called the National Youth Action Alliance. Last month he delivered a petition signed by many, including Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti, calling for reform in Zimbabwe. He also managed to get into parliament with his team where they demonstrated with placards.

State-controlled Media

The Herald, March 14, 2015

“High Court orders Dzamara Search”

• The High Court has ordered a search to find missing journalist and political activist, Itai Dzamara. The Attorney General’s office agreed to cooperate in the search for Dzamara.
• Dzamara was abducted by unknown men in the Glen View area of Harare.
• The High Court’s statement declared that the state apparatus should work with lawyers for human rights to search wherever they have jurisdiction to do so.
• MDC-T activists assaulted and injured two police officers on Wednesday during an illegal protest over Dzamara staged at Parliament.
• The disappearance dominated Parliament’s question period as the MDC demanded to know what the government was doing for Dzamara.