State crimes in Zimbabwe, from Mugabe to the new dispensation, a case of old wine in different bottles.

Silika, Keith

Abstract

When the November 2017 coup occurred in Zimbabwe, there was a pseudo renewed optimism and euphoria over new prospects for the country. Zimbabwe, a former British colony, had lived in the perpetual shadow of Robert Mugabe, the man who had ruled the country since independence in 1980. During his tenure that lasted 37 years, his government committed various democides resulting in the deaths of thousands of people and millions of people migrated out of the country. The government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa has for the past few years claimed that they are a “new dispensation” or “second republic.” This being an attempt to break away from the authoritarian rule under Mugabe. Events that followed the coup and the de facto situation appear to suggest that nothing has changed since the state crimes under the Mugabe regime. It would appear, based on the evidence espoused, that some tactics have been adopted and remodelled by the present government. The purpose of the paper is to outline various state crimes including, political violence, state capture of religious sects and judiciary, persecution of dissent, electoral fraud, and lawfare that President Mnangagwa regime have perpetrated. These facets, in addition to the use of propaganda been deployed and utilised against citizens to perpetuate President Mnangagwa’s grip on power. Finally, the paper will position if the Mnangagwa regime can be viewed within the context of “a new dispensation” as they claim, or just old wine in different bottles.

Key words: state crime; human rights abuses; political violence; lawfare; new dispensation.

Citation

Silika, K. (2023). State crimes in Zimbabwe, from Mugabe to the new dispensation, a case of old wine in different bottles

• Digital Artefact Type: Website Content
• Acceptance Date: Jun 27, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 1, 2023
• Publication Date: Sep 30, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 24, 2024
• Publisher URL: http://statecrime.org/state-crimes-in-zimbabwe-from-mugabe-to-the-new-dispensation-a-case-of-old-wine-in-different-bottles/