In 2023, Zimbabwe once again stood exposed before the world — not as a beacon of freedom or democracy, but as a country drowning in corruption, repression, and state-sponsored brutality. The latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices lays bare what many Zimbabweans have known and lived through for years: under the regime of Emmerson Mnangagwa, justice is not only blind — it is gagged, shackled, and buried beneath a mountain of rot.
Despite having anti-corruption courts in all provinces, the fight against corruption in Zimbabwe is nothing but theatre. Political elites steal with impunity while the so-called watchdogs, like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), sit muzzled and powerless. ZACC handled 684 complaints in 2022 — a shocking 38% drop from the previous year — and yet very few ever see the inside of a courtroom. It’s a system of “catch and release” designed to create the illusion of justice while the looters continue feasting.
The corruption runs deep and wide. Petty corruption — the bribes, favours, and backdoor deals — affects ordinary people every day, especially when dealing with police, councils, or government offices. But it is grand corruption that is ripping the nation apart. Mnangagwa’s allies, like Uebert Angel and Henrietta Rushwaya, have been named in international exposés such as Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia. These people are not just criminals; they are part of a cartel that launders gold and dirty money through South Africa, the UAE, and other international networks. And yet, no arrests. No accountability. Nothing.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s prisons resemble torture chambers from a warzone. Harare Remand Prison is overcrowded, filthy, and starved of basic resources. Inmates go without clean water, food, or medical care. Children under the age of four, locked inside with their imprisoned mothers, are fed the same meagre rations. These are not correctional facilities — they are slow-death cells.
Political violence is also rampant. During elections, known Zanu PF affiliates backed by the Central Intelligence Organisation harass, beat, and even kill opposition supporters. The murder of CCC activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya and the police killing of Persuade Mandara are not isolated incidents. They are part of a bigger pattern — one where violence is used to break the will of the people.
Even lawyers are not safe. When Doug Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi tried to represent abducted and tortured victims, they too were arrested. This is how far the regime is willing to go — even those who defend the victims of abuse are turned into criminals.
Human rights defenders and NGOs are treated as enemies of the state. They are watched, followed, and harassed. The government calls them “foreign agents” or “security threats.” But the real threat to Zimbabwe’s security is not activists. It is the regime itself — a corrupt, decaying power structure that feeds off the suffering of the people it was meant to serve.
The truth is brutal. Zimbabwe is no longer a democracy. It is a captured state where courts serve the powerful, prisons punish the poor, and the police enforce political control. Every institution, from ZACC to the judiciary, has been hijacked by the ruling elite. The constitution is just paper. Rights exist only for the loyal. And those who dare to speak out are silenced — through fear, violence, or death.
The international community must stop pretending Zimbabwe is on a path to reform. Sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and exposure are no longer enough. The time has come for real action — to isolate the regime, protect its victims, and hold its leaders accountable in international courts if local ones refuse to act.
Zimbabweans are strong, but strength alone cannot defeat a system designed to crush all resistance. We need solidarity. We need justice. And above all, we need change. The world must not look away.
Our suffering is not a statistic. It is a cry for help. Will the world finally listen?