A Harare man was taken away by state security agents on Saturday, after he tried to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his speech at the launch of the Presidential Title Deeds and Settlement Regularisation Programme in the Epworth dormitory settlement. According to reports, the incident occurred as the President was delivering his speech, and a young man raced to the stage to confront Mnangagwa, but was stopped by state security agents a few meters away.
The man was then taken behind a VVIP tent where he was allegedly beaten up. The incident has sparked outrage among human rights groups, who have criticized the use of violence to deal with dissenting voices.
At the event, Mnangagwa handed over 265 title deeds to residents and promised them that more were coming. He emphasized the importance of the regularisation of the settlement and called for collective efforts to make it a success.
The Government has said that the 11,200 title deeds that are ready for Epworth residents are part of the targeted 38,000 for the sprawling suburb. Thousands of ZANU PF supporters were bussed to the venue from various parts of Harare to attend the event.
The incident has raised concerns about the level of security at public events involving senior government officials. It also highlights the growing frustration among Zimbabweans with the government’s failure to address the economic challenges facing the country.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has called for an investigation into the incident and for the perpetrators to be held accountable. “The use of violence to suppress dissenting voices is unacceptable and goes against the principles of democracy and human rights,” the organization said in a statement.
The incident comes amid a crackdown on opposition figures and human rights activists by the government, which has been accused of using repressive tactics to silence dissenting voices. The government denies the allegations and says it is committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights.
Source -MasimbaNews ✍🏿