ZIMBABWE APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (ZAPS) PROJECT Report of the Validation Workshop

The Zimbabwe APRM Popular Sensitisation (ZAPS) project validation workshop, held on 8 July 2021, served as a platform for civil society organisations (CSOs) to present and refine a submission to the APRM. The workshop identified critical governance failures in Zimbabwe, including a "constitutional amendment crisis" that has expanded presidential powers, the "militarisation of politics" through the installation of military leaders in political roles, and systemic corruption where legislative frameworks are applied only to "small fish" while elite corruption persists. Other key areas of concern included the shrinking of civic space—marked by 932 reported cases of organised violence and torture between March and November 2020—and the decline of state enterprises and parastatals, which now contribute less than 2% of the GDP. The project aims to use these findings to catalyze reform and enhance accountability and transparency in Zimbabwe's governance.

• Zimbabwe has experienced a constitutional amendment crisis in 2021 that undermined its constitutionalism by bypassing proper procedures to expand presidential powers, specifically regarding the appointment of judges and Vice Presidents.
• The Zimbabwean state has been militarised by placing military leaders in strategic political and democratic positions to consolidate power, leading to organised violence and torture of civilians by untrained military personnel.
• Zimbabwe's electoral system suffers from significant failings, including a lack of financial independence for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson and the use of legal measures to obstruct opposition parties' access to media and voters.
• Despite having robust anti-corruption legislative frameworks and international treaty obligations, corruption persists due to a lack of political will to prosecute high-profile elite cases, resulting in a "catch and release" process for suspects.
• Civic space in Zimbabwe is shrinking, characterized by tensions between the government and CSOs, with 932 reported cases of organised violence and torture between 30 March 2020 and 5 November 2020.
• Corporate governance in Zimbabwe's 107 State Enterprises and Parastatals (SEPs) has failed, with their GDP contribution dropping from over 40% in the 1990s to less than 2% currently, largely due to political interference and non-compliance with legislative frameworks.
• Accountability and transparency are hindered by the misuse of Community Development Funds, mismanagement of Covid-19 relief funds, and attempts to hide foreign debt obligations.

APA

Simelane, N. G. (2021). ZIMBABWE APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (ZAPS) PROJECT Report of the Validation Workshop. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ZAPS-Validation-Report.pdf

Chicago

Simelane, Nkanyiso Goodnews. ZIMBABWE APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (ZAPS) PROJECT Report of the Validation Workshop. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ZAPS-Validation-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Simelane |first1=Nkanyiso Goodnews |title=ZIMBABWE APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (ZAPS) PROJECT Report of the Validation Workshop |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=8 July 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ZAPS-Validation-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{simelane2021zimbabwe, author = {Simelane, Nkanyiso Goodnews}, title = {{ZIMBABWE APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (ZAPS) PROJECT Report of the Validation Workshop}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ZAPS-Validation-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }