Zimbabwean activists have reacted angrily to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s claims that Zimbabwe is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights.
The activists described Mnangagwa’s claims as “blatant lies”.
According to the state-owned Herald newspaper, Mnangagwa told a delegation at the recent Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations centre in Geneva that Zimbabwe had improved on the protection of human rights.
Mnangagwa, who travelled to the conference early this week, further claimed that the country was making strides in upholding the constitution and enhancing human rights.
He said that the country had made progress towards the implementation of the 130 recommendations it had received from the United Nations member state summit in 2012.
“The constitution has been lauded for its substantive content that introduces salient foundational democratic elements and an expanded bill of rights, incorporating all generations of rights.
“These rights can only be meaningful to our people through implementation of legislative and administrative measures to actualise the constitution,” Mnangagwa was quoted as saying.
‘Blatant liar’
Mnangagwa’s remarks came at the back recent protests that resulted in scores of activists being brutally beaten by the country’s security agencies, according to reports.
A number of people, who participated in the demonstrations were also reportedly arrested.
Meanwhile, activist and reporter Itai Dzamara, who was abducted by unknown men in March 2015, still remained missing
Dzamara’s brother Patson said in a statement that Mnangagwa was a “blatant liar” who was misleading the international community.
“First and foremost, Mnangagwa is a liar just like their gang leader, one Robert Mugabe. Ever since Itai Dzamara’s disappearance, ZRP has failed to come up with a single lead and that has cemented our position of disbelief in their purported sincerity.
“I have always registered that they know what happened to Itai Dzamara and they are not acting in good faith,” said Dzamara.
Patson said that the southern African country’s government had done nothing in finding his missing brother.
“Itai Dzamara’s case is just a tip of the iceberg. So many Zimbabweans have had to endure the abuse of their rights under the auspices of the Zanu-PF led government.
Another activist group that has been in the forefront of the recent demonstrations #Tajamuka also dismissed Mnangagwa’s claims as “misleading”.
In its Facebook page, the group posted a counter document that was presented by one of its activists in Geneva.
