Human rights activists have raised alarm over Zimbabwe’s continued use of abductions and enforced disappearances as tools of political repression, warning that victims remain unprotected by the law.
The concerns were voiced during a virtual discussion hosted by CITE in partnership with Amnesty International, marking 10 years since the disappearance of journalist and pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted in 2015 and has never been seen since.
The discussion, titled “Itai Dzamara: Ten Years Without Answers,” underscored Zimbabwe’s failure to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which seeks to prevent inhumane treatment and enforced disappearances.
Activists called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders to pressure the Zimbabwean government to account for past injustices and safeguard citizens from further abuses.
Dzamara was abducted on March 9, 2015, by five men at a barber shop in Harare’s Glen View suburb. Witnesses say his kidnappers accused him of cattle theft before handcuffing him, forcing him into a white truck with concealed licence plates, and driving away.
A fierce critic of then-President Robert Mugabe, Dzamara had previously been targeted by state security agents—beaten, abducted, and unlawfully detained. His case is one of many unresolved enforced disappearances in Zimbabwe.
Renowned human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, who was abducted in 2008 and held incommunicado for 21 days, described the trauma endured by victims and their families.
“It’s heartbreaking that 10 years later, Dzamara’s family still doesn’t know what happened to him,” she said. “His youngest daughter was just two years old when he disappeared. They have been forced to mark birthdays without knowing whether he is alive or dead.”
Mukoko, who now runs the Jestina Mukoko Foundation, also highlighted the legal vacuum surrounding abductions.
“When you are abducted, you are completely outside the law. Your captors can torture you or even kill you with no consequences. I was threatened with extinction,” she said.
She recalled the psychological toll on her own family, including a chilling moment when her brother was told a body had been dumped at their gate.
“The trauma never goes away. It’s a lifelong journey that victims and their families must navigate,” she said.
Idriss Ali Nassah, a senior researcher for Southern Africa at Human Rights Watch, urged SADC leaders to take a firm stance on Zimbabwe’s human rights violations.
“Stopping abductions is the state’s responsibility, but tackling enforced disappearances requires regional collaboration,” Nassah said.
He criticised SADC leaders for ignoring Zimbabwe’s human rights crisis at a summit in Harare last August, despite over 160 activists, opposition members, and elected officials being detained for exercising their political rights.
“SADC leaders must publicly assert themselves and pressure Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Angola to uphold human rights,” Nassah said. “Zimbabwe must be held accountable for past injustices and pushed to reform or repeal oppressive laws.”
He also called for a full investigation into Dzamara’s case, warning that without accountability, enforced disappearances would continue.
Zimbabwe’s failure to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture reflects a broader disregard for fundamental human rights, activists argue. The treaty requires signatories to prevent, investigate, and prosecute acts of torture, yet Zimbabwe has refused to sign, allowing abductions to persist with impunity.
Nassah pointed to African Union guidelines adopted in 2022 to combat enforced disappearances, noting that while some African nations have taken steps to implement them, Zimbabwe has not.
He also recalled how George Charamba, Mugabe’s spokesperson at the time of Dzamara’s disappearance, dismissed calls for an investigation, calling it a “political matter” unworthy of government attention.
“The current administration must show it values justice by investigating Dzamara’s disappearance and holding those responsible to account,” Nassah said.
He urged the Zimbabwean government to establish an independent commission to investigate Dzamara’s case, with findings made public.
“Authorities must show Zimbabweans and the world that the disappearance of a journalist or human rights activist is a serious matter,” he said. “Dzamara’s case deserves justice.”
