Just in:
Prominent Zimbabwean lawyer and human rights activist Dewa Mavhinga, who was Southern African director for Human Rights Watch, has died of Covid-19, his close friends have confirmed to The NewsHawks.
He died in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was based.
Prominent Zimbabwean lawyer and human rights activist Dewa Mavhinga, who was Southern African director for Human Rights Watch, has died of Covid-19, his close friends have confirmed to The NewsHawks.
He died in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was based.
Before joining Human Rights Watch, Mavhinga worked as regional coordinator for Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition based in Johannesburg. In 2012 Mavhinga with Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya and others co-founded Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, a public policy research think-tank based in Harare.
Mavhinga was active, vigorous and fearless on human rights issues.
He featured prominently in the media discussing the Zimbabwe situation and other issues in the region.
With him, it was always a no holds barred engagement on critical issues. Even under pressure, he was bold.
He featured prominently in the media discussing the Zimbabwe situation and other issues in the region.
With him, it was always a no holds barred engagement on critical issues. Even under pressure, he was bold.
A recipient of the British Chevening and Canon Collins Trust scholarship, Mavhinga held a Bachelor of Law Honors degree (LLB) from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Law degree in international human rights (LLM) for Essex University, United Kingdom.
In December of 2017, he was part of the main opposition MDC alliance delegation that travelled and appeared before a United States Congressional Committee on Foreign Relations in Washington DC to appraise Americans on the situation in Zimbabwe.
His testimony, Mavhinga said: "Mr. Chairman, my testimony will first lay out the human rights
press the interim Zimbabwean Government to ensure a rights-re
specting situation in Zimbabwe since the military takeover...
press the interim Zimbabwean Government to ensure a rights-re
specting situation in Zimbabwe since the military takeover...
"... and then rights-respecting specting environment leading to democratic, credible, transparent and peaceful elections and political stability thereafter.
"Following the military takeover, Robert Mugabe resigned as
president on November 21 and on November 24 was replaced by his former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has his own long record of human rights violations.
president on November 21 and on November 24 was replaced by his former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has his own long record of human rights violations.
"In his inaugural speech, Mnangagwa confirmed that elections will take place in 2018 as scheduled, but did not address critical issues, notably security sector, media, electoral reforms necessary to ensure credible, free, and fair elections.
"As reports of abuses by the military since the takeover began to emerge, the excitement and euphoria that many Zimbabweans greeted the end of Mugabe’s rule quickly fizzled out to be replaced by uneasiness and uncertainty.
"Since the military takeover, soldiers have not returned to the barracks, but instead are now involved in policing on the streets. This is the same military
that has been credibly implicated in rights violations against the general population during the Mugabe years."
that has been credibly implicated in rights violations against the general population during the Mugabe years."
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
