Amnesty International Piles Pressure On Mnangagwa Regime To Probe Brutal Attack On Lovemore Madhuku… – Eduzim News

Tinashe Sambiri– Amnesty International has called on the Emmerson Mnangagwa administration to urgently investigate a violent attack on Professor Lovemore Madhuku and other political activists that occurred on 1 March 2026 in Harare.

Amnesty International Zimbabwe’s Executive Director, Lucia Masuka, condemned the assault, stating:

“Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Effort Manono, and other activists from his party had gathered for a meeting when they were violently beaten with batons in the presence of uniformed police officers.

This violent attack is a blatant violation of the rights to personal security, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly.”

She added: “This assault is the latest outrage targeting critics opposed to changing the Constitution to allow the extension of presidential term limits.

Zimbabwean authorities must immediately end the escalating crackdown on peaceful dissent, which has seen public meetings banned and critics brutally attacked, arbitrarily detained, and silenced.”

Masuka called for urgent and thorough action by authorities: “Authorities must promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, transparently, and effectively investigate the attacks on these NCA members and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible. Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims and their families.

They must create an environment that guarantees and ensures the effective exercise of the human rights of everyone in the country, including the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, and peaceful assembly, allowing everyone to peacefully express their opinions without the risk of interference, intimidation, attacks, or reprisals.”

On 1 March 2026, armed unidentified men reportedly forced their way into the Harare offices of Professor Madhuku’s National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), violently interrupting a meeting and attacking several participants.

The attack is part of a wider pattern of targeting activists opposed to the extension of presidential term limits. Political activist Godfrey Karembera has been held in pretrial detention since 20 October 2025 on charges of incitement to commit public violence for allegedly distributing flyers ahead of a planned protest on 17 October 2025. Additionally, over 90 other activists were arrested on 31 March 2025 for allegedly gathering with intent to promote public violence.

Amnesty International’s statement underscores the need for Zimbabwean authorities to respect human rights, ensure accountability, and protect citizens exercising their right to peaceful dissent.

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