South Africa’s DA party wants SADC summit moved from Zimbabwe over rights abuses

As opposition leader Ngarivhume, cleric arrested in relentless crackdown against government critics

In custody ... opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume joins growing list of government critics who have been arrested ahead of the SADC summit

HARARE – South Africa’s second largest party and coalition partner, Democratic Alliance (DA) has demanded the neighbouring country’s government to use its authority as a member of SADC to call on member countries to move the SADC Summit from Zimbabwe to a different location owing to intensifying human rights violations.

This comes after opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume and prominent cleric Bishop Kevin Nyamakanga were Friday arrested, accused of violence incitement.

They join a growing list of activists who have been rounded up by the Emmerson Mnangagwa led government keen to stave off Kenyan style protests and acts of civil disobedience in the period leading up to the SADC summit.

Ngarivhume was seized Friday afternoon after some state agents and police officers reportedly surrounded his home and drove him off into custody.

Similarly, Bishop Nyamakanga was seized from his home also accused of plotting to incite public violence.

Zimbabwe hosts the 16-member country SADC summit this month with regional leaders expected to jet into Harare in two weeks’ time for the main event on August 17.

The Zanu PF led authority has stopped at nothing to try and stave off possible protests with Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe on Thursday issuing chilling threats against opposition forces plotting anti-government protests.

The crackdown on opposition activists and rights defenders has been condemned outside with a United Kingdom legislator recently calling on his own government to urge Zimbabwean authorities to respect human rights.

The Democratic Alliance has since joined in the call, urging the South African government to go a step further to demand the movement of the summit to a different country.

“The Democratic Alliance calls on the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to exercise South Africa’s right as a member of SADC and urgently demand that the 44th ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government scheduled to be held on 17 August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe be moved to a different location,” DA said in a statement issued by party spokesperson Emma Louise Powell.