On August 17, 2024, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene its 44th summit in Harare, Zimbabwe. This summit marks Zimbabwe’s assumption of the bloc’s leadership, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa hosting the event. Mnangagwa has embarked on extensive preparations, including road rehabilitations, airport renovations, and hotel refurbishments. These efforts appear part of Mnangagwa’s strategy to bolster his legitimacy after a negative SADC report on his re-election.
In the lead-up to the summit, Mnangagwa’s administration has intensified its crackdown on opposition figures and pro-democracy activists. Notable arrests include human rights defenders Namatai Kwekweza, Samuel Gwenzi, Robson Chere, and Jacob Ngarivhume. Members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in Kariba have also been targeted by authorities. Additionally, Emmanuel Sitima, president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), was detained at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Goromonzi legislator Tineyi Munetsi was also summoned by the police for a crime allegedly committed during the January 2019 protests. CCC leader Jameson Timba and 78 others, now called #Avondale78, have been languishing in remand prison. They were arrested on June 16, 2024, and have been denied bail, with the state hurrying their trial. Other key opposition figures, such as Jacob Ngarivhume and Job Sikhala, have also been targeted by the state.
Most of the arrested individuals are innocent, a fact highlighted by Namatai Kwekweza’s alibi of being in South Africa. Vusumuzi Moyo, who is not involved in political activism, seeks a legal practitioner of his own choice. The targeting of these individuals suggests a concerted effort by the government to neutralize any perceived threats to the summit. Despite police claims that public gatherings have not been banned, numerous meetings and events have not received clearance.
While Zanu PF members celebrate the summit as a potential endorsement of Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe by SADC, opposition activists remain on high alert. They fear arrest on trumped-up and dubious charges related to protests, viewing the summit as a perilous period. Restrictions on their activities and the heightened risk of detention create an atmosphere of intimidation. Consequently, some opposition members view the summit as a curse rather than a blessing, wishing for its swift conclusion or even relocation.
