Zimbabwe Needs A Dialogue To Clear The “Toxic Environment” – Visiting UN Rapporteur

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:20 pm

A visiting UN rapporteur has said Zimbabwe needs a dialogue to clear the toxic environment engulfing the air VOA reports. The special UN rapporteur, Mr Clement Voule was on a 10 day trip to Zimbabwe and compiled a report he will present to the UN in June 2020. However, he said the environment in Zimbabwe is toxic and there is fear and lack of trust regarding freedom of peaceful assembly.

Speaking to VOA, Mr Voule said:

The toxic environment, I raised this many times in my meetings with government officials,” Voule told VOA, adding that there was a “general fear” and “lack of trust” regarding freedom of peaceful assembly

In many of my discussions with victims of use of excessive force by police, those victims related that they were targeted because they belonged to the opposition

I understand the political situation which Zimbabwe is going through,” he said. “Yes, political competition is important, but the well-being of our community [is] more important. Political leaders need to be brave enough to really sit around the table and discuss … the future of this country, and I believe that we will have [a] new Zimbabwe which respects human rights.

The Togolese national visited victims of brutality like Tatenda Mombeyarara and spoke to some individuals of the opposition before calling for a dialogue he said would lead to “peace, human dignity and economic recovery”. The Rapporteur came right in the middle of Dr Magombeyi‘s disappearance, subsequent resurface and his legal bid to seek medical attention in SA.