AMNESTY International’s ability to speak authoritatively on
alleged human rights abuses in Zimbabwe has come under scrutiny after it closed
its Harare branch in June over alleged abuse of donor funds and fraud by its
staff members has exposed its serious shortcomings and double standards.
Worse still, besides just closing office, Amnesty
International has failed to act on workers caught in the much publicised audit,
denting its credibility and exposing it as a badly managed organisation that
seeks to see specs in other organisations’ eyes, yet it a has a log in its own.
The Harare office was closed after the parent organisation
issued a damning report on the operations of the local branch.
In a statement released at the time, Amnesty said: “An
extensive forensic audit was conducted in late 2018 which uncovered evidence of
fraud and serious financial mismanagement by individuals in AIZ.”
Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting
Services Mr Nick Mangwana said when any organisation questions governments over
human rights allegations, it should ensure that its own standards are beyond
reproach.
“And Amnesty has failed its donors, stakeholders, and
supporters by not keeping its own house in order, in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.
“Millions of dollars are still unaccounted for — a first
for Amnesty and a huge loss of face for an NGO that prides itself as a human
rights champion.
“So it comes as some surprise that Amnesty has now attacked
Zimbabwe for an alleged human rights crackdown since the fall of Robert Mugabe
in 2017. It has produced a report that catalogues allegations of abuses,
including arrests of rights activists in the country,” he said.
Amnesty’s regional spokesperson, Mr Robert Shivambu,
declined to comment on the allegations citing pending investigations.
Amnesty International’s deputy director for Southern
Africa, Mr Muleya Mwananyanda, claimed that the Zimbabwean Government has carried
out a ruthless attack on human rights, with the rights to freedom of
expression, peaceful assembly and association increasingly restricted and
criminalised.
Mr Mangwana added: “As Amnesty no longer operates an office
in Harare, one wonders how they were able to verify these allegations. Its
country director had resigned once the fraud was revealed, while the chair and
finance officer are currently suspended and Muleya Mwananyanda is based out of
Johannesburg in neighbouring South Africa.
“For an NGO to judge both protesters and the Government
fairly in Zimbabwe, it should be on the ground to see the real situation.
“What is going on at Amnesty International? First, two
staff members killed themselves last year. Then an internal review ordered by
Amnesty secretary-general Kumi Naidoo revealed a ‘toxic’ workplace culture of
bullying and nepotism,” said Mr Mangwana.
He added: “We also wish Amnesty International would improve
on its governance and credibility after recent corruption scandals involving
the major abuse of donor funding and false claims that one Tinashe Kaitano of
Kadoma had been shot by authorities and buried, a claim which later proved to
be a falsehood when Mr Kaitano appeared in court,” said Mr Mangwana.
As for the current situation in the country, Mr Mangwana
said it is quite clear to most observers that Zimbabwe had made great strides
in opening up media, economic and political spaces since President Mnangagwa
came into office.
The Government is reviewing the Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).
The former was repealed last month and replaced by the
Freedom of Information Bill, which seeks to uphold citizens’ rights to access
information in line with Zimbabwe’s Constitution and established international
norms. The latter is expected to be succeeded by the Maintenance of Peace and
Order Bill (MOPA) soon, which aims at ensuring the freedom of assembly and
modernising the management of public gatherings.
He added that perhaps Amnesty failed to get a true picture
of the changes taking place in Zimbabwe, focused as it is on its own internal
issues and lacking the local knowledge that would be crucial in such analysis.
Herald
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