CIVIC SPACE SHRINKING IN ZIMBABWE

By Elvis Mugari

Hope seems to have long since drained from the soul of Zimbabwe, as the long festering political situation and regional politicking often overshadow the total injustice imposed on the Zimbabwean people. The crimes against humanity that have played out in the country since the inception of Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa rule  has literally caused the shrinking of the civic space in Zimbabwe. Major advances in democracy have been affected by the clear patterns of government repression against peaceful protesters, activists, and journalists which emerged in Zimbabwe  over the past 14 months of Mnangagwa’s rule . Civic space is the foundation for civil society to make its contribution to society, provoking discussion and debate, advocating for a more inclusive society, providing services, building community spirit and challenging those in authority on the decisions they make. CSOs. Individual  activists and journalists who raised concerns about the actions of governments, or who call for transparency and accountability, often face reprisals from both state and non-state actors who create an atmosphere of violence and intimidation, kill, detain, persecute and injure people who simply exercise their right to assemble, express themselves and associate.

The growing and worrying phenomenon of shrinking civic space in Zimbabwe hampers Zimbabwean  citizens from freely exercising their fundamental human rights. Zimbabwe has a class of toxic laws  such as POSA and AIPPA and some other laws which are inconsistent  with the constitution, this is Legislation  on associations which seek to hinder the rights to the freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Civic space in Zimbabwe  is shrinking and this downward trend is precipitated by laws, policies, physical attacks, threats and demonization of those who stand up for the rights of citizens. While the state, government officials and security and intelligence services are the main perpetrators of these inhuman activities . In August 2018 Zimbabweans witnessed  an increase in blatant and clandestine attacks on human rights activists, who are consistently accused of being foreign agents and branded as anti-economic development and a threat to national security. State security and other individuals associated with the government have threatened and murdered more than ten human rights activists and other innocent  civilians . In January 2019, the Zimbabwean government thwarted demonstrations and dissent through the arbitrary arrests of journalists, human rights defenders, and protesting citizens and non-citizens, clampdown on the political opposition saw mass arbitrary arrests, torture, politicized trials, and violations of the rights to freedom of expression and association up to this date.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

The onus to reclaim the civic space in Zimbabwe collectively lies in the hands of individual  activists, Social movements, Youth organisations, Civic society organisations, trade unions and student movements. The situation in Zimbabwe  calls for a new approach that mobilizes citizens’ response to government actions, focusing more on highlighting and amplifying the various dimensions of shrinking space through research, documentation, and policy advocacy at national levels. However, effectively addressing the crisis confronting civil society in Zimbabwe  requires developing citizens’ skills and knowledge on effective measures to address human rights violations. This can be done through public education and awareness raising, online community mobilization, town hall meetings, and targeted convening that include the participation of faith-based groups, voluntary associations and  citizens’ movements.These initiatives must be an opportunity to empower citizens to effectively respond to the risks associated with closing civic space. I think  a promising strategy would be to ensure that learning resources are accessible for citizens and human rights activists working at all levels, especially within grassroots constituencies.

An effective response should focus on highlighting and evaluating the triggers and root causes of closing civic space in Zimbabwe. The inability to invest resources in identifying and mitigating the root causes puts civil society in a defensive posture and prevents the kind of proactive discourse, mobilization, and action that is needed to strengthen and expand the space for civil society. It is also essential that these initiatives cultivate citizen-led platforms to foster convening, learning, and sharing among human rights activists, members of citizens’ movements, and social justice campaigners. For example the National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO)  lately formed and launched a campaign Hashtag #YouthCivicSpaceZW, the campaign is utilizing virtual and physical fora and digital participation tools to expand space for citizens’ participation and mobilization to influence decision-making. The platform’s modus operandi enables citizens to shape rights-based thinking and practice in their various communities and policy spaces.

NAYO’s design is sustainable and flexible, its priority is to help other civil society organisations  and citizens to develop the skills needed to deal with a shifting environment for civil society. Such skills include the capacity to analyze laws and regulations, digital and Internet security, security awareness training, mass mobilization and movement building, policy advocacy and public engagement, networking and alliance building, and digital activism.

Furthermore, traditional civil society organizations and private sector associations have an enormous responsibility to raise awareness on human rights. They should continue contributing to the provision of civic education, implementing advocacy campaigns, lobbying and promoting new laws, providing legal training and services, strengthening the capacity of officials in the judiciary and law enforcement, as well as monitoring and reporting on the performance of the state in these areas.Without proper safeguards and deliberate efforts to empower citizens, the space for civil society, even in democratic countries, can easily diminish as pockets of repressive and undemocratic practices continue to manifest. It is evident that the level of awareness and capacity of citizens to assert their civil, political, and socio-economic rights is the bedrock of a thriving democracy. I strongly believe that. In Zimbabwe, increased citizen participation in expanding the boundaries of these rights would fundamentally shift power relations between citizens and their political leadership.

It is imperative, now more than ever, that public and private sector stakeholders step up and harmonize their response to the threat of closing space. However, doing so effectively requires going beyond reactive, national-level efforts to beat back restrictive measures. What is needed in Zimbabwe are grassroots efforts to empower, mobilize, and grow constituencies for human rights before the next crisis or challenge to civic space emerges.