News from Zimbabwe
SADC Tribunal Still Closed — and Justice Still Denied — 17 Years After Campbell Ruling
Today, 28 November, is the 17th anniversary of the landmark judgment in the Campbell farm test case, Mike Campbell and Others v. the government of Zimbabwe, handed down by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal, the region’s court of justice and court of last resort for SADC citizens, in 2007. What does that judgment mean? The first aspect to understand is that the judgment is final and binding from the highest judicial authority in southern Africa. Courts can be emasculated or closed down, but when a final and binding judgment is given, it stands. It cannot be changed.
Newsletter from Cathy Buckle in Zimbabwe
In Cathy Buckle’s 21 November newsletter, she writes about the bizarre goings on in the government: ”… Finally came this unbelievable announcement from the Finance Minister. Speaking to MPs in Parliament he said: “I’m going to announce today that we have bought you a hotel. It’s the Monomatapa Hotel.” The 182-bed four-star Monomatapa Hotel in central Harare has been bought by the government, paid for by the Pension Fund, a Fund meant to support retired teachers, nurses and civil servants. The purchase of the hotel was not debated in, or approved by, parliament….”
Statement about the deteriorating civic space
“The Platform for Concerned Citizens (PCC) in Zimbabwe has been watching the increasing attacks on civil society organisations, students, and citizens in recent months…. The recent bombing of the SAPES Trust Seminar Room is probably the most egregious of these attacks, an attack that has all the hallmarks of domestic terrorism. It is remarkable that there has been no public comment about this by either the government or the security agencies tasked with protecting the state and its citizens. It is of concern that there has been no public statement from either the regional or international community….”
Ben Freeth’s 350km Challenge across Namibia for Poor Families and a School in Zimbabwe
From mid-September, our executive director, Ben Freeth, rode a few spot Appaloosa horse called Warrior across western Namibia to raise funds for three projects in Zimbabwe: a small Christian primary school for underprivileged children that we support, our conservation agriculture training programme and our free, open-pollinated (OPV) seed pack project for poor rural families. He also called for the regional court of justice, the SADC Tribunal, to be reinstated so that the 400m million SADC citizens can once again have access to justice.
Harare vendor wins US$21k lawsuit
against council police
A Harare vendor, James Chamisa, has successfully sued Harare Municipal Police for US$21 000 after he sustained serious injuries following a severe assault in 2018. According to court papers, he was wrongly and unlawfully assaulted by municipal police with batons, fists, booted feet and palms. As a result, he suffered physical bodily injury, including a fractured right hand and two fractured ribs. He also suffered psychological injury and trauma. He was awarded US$1 830 for medical expenses, US$20 000 for shock, pain and suffering and US$10 000 for contumelia (harm and humiliation).
Madhuku trashes Zanu PF
plans to illegally extend Mnangagwa’s second term to 2030
Constitutional law expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku has trashed the ruling party ZANU PF’s attempts to illegally extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s second term to 2030. “There is no legal mechanism of doing it as it currently stands,” he said. “The kind of amendments ZAU PF is talking about are not possible without a referendum. There are a few things you can amend without going for a referendum but if you want to tamper with the term of office of the president, the exercise of executive powers or the structure of the state, you cannot avoid a referendum.”