Zimbabwe govt dismisses report from bishops about violence

Zimbabwe’s government has dismissed a letter by Roman Catholic bishops highlighting corruption, poverty and human rights abuses.

Information Secretary Nick Mangwana said that there is no crisis, whether political or otherwise.

He accused the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference of joining groups seeking to manufacture crises.

The bishops had called for an urgent resolution to the country’s economic and political challenges.

Zimbabweans have been protesting against alleged government corruption and a deepening economic crisis with inflation running at more than 700%.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has, however, blamed his political opponents of working with foreigners to try to destabilise the country.

His government has recently attracted heavy criticism over a crackdown targeting anti-government protesters which has resulted in several people being assaulted and arrested.

Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was charged last month with inciting public violence. He is still in detention after being denied bail.

He had exposed alleged corruption in the health ministry during the purchase of medical supplies to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Images of police assaulting protesters have been shared online sparking a global campaign using the hashtag #ZimbabweanLivesMatter to highlight rights abuses.

“Fear runs down the spine of many of our people today. The crackdown of dissent in unprecedented,” the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference said in their letter.

“Voices of various governments, the European Union, the African Union, and the UN on the desperate situation in Zimbabwe have not only confirmed the seriousness of the human rights breaches by government agents but the need to rally behind #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” they said.

But writing in the state-owned The Herald newspaper, Mr Mangwana defended the government.

“Zimbabwe, like most countries in the world, is currently grappling with challenges attendant to illegal sanctions, drought and the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

He said President Mnangagwa had demonstrated his commitment to fight corruption, highlighting the arrest of high profile individuals and strengthening of anti-corruption bodies.

The information secretary also said the bishops had ignored the impact that close to two decades of economic sanctions had had on the country.