Zimbabwean Lives Matter Protests Gain Prominence!

Huge number of protests are currently ongoing in the country and the cry for help has finally reached many ears. Zimbabwe’s current situation is the result of constant ignorance on the part of the country’s government. People are seen protesting for their very basic human rights, that includes food and health care, things which should be the last on the list for which people need to be protesting for. The recent pandemic situation has uncovered the country’s already failing health system and has also deepened the hunger crises in the country. Food prices are rising, and the government has taken a back seat, while not being able to afford food supplies for the people of the country. Approximately 6 in 10 Zimbabweans are expected to suffer from acute hunger. This is all because of heightened inflation and food insecurity compounded by a nationwide lockdown.

Inflation in the country is at an all-time high, increasing the cost of living drastically. The fact that this is the third successive drought hit harvest year, meaning drastic reduction in production of food grains does not really help the case. To make matters even worse, unemployment has reached an estimated 90 percent giving no solace to the people from any side.

Zimbabweans rights are being violated. Many protestors are being beaten and arrested. Especially the ones who have successfully raised their voices against the corruption that’s happening in the country. Citizens who have taken to the streets are being harassed and beaten up brutally, be it men, women or even children. The people of the country are currently torn between fighting two wars simultaneously; Covid-19 and another war that is against their own leaders. The #ZimbabweanLivesMatter tag started after the security forces recently blocked a street demonstration. It heavily draws on the success of the global movement that highlighted the racial injustice that had gained prominence after the death of George Floyd.

Amidst all of this, President Emmerson Mnangagwa labelled the street protests as an “insurrection” to depose his administration, completely ignoring the grave matter of the risk to the lives of the people that has been caused due to the incompetence of his very own government. The primary role of the state is to protect its citizens while keeping their basic human rights intact, however the country’s government has fallen short of the responsibility by leaps and bounds and seems to take no responsibility for the same.