ZIMBABWE’S JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND USED TO PROTECT THE POWERFUL

The criminal justice system in Zimbabwe is supposed to help make the country safe. It includes the police, the courts, and the prisons. These are supposed to catch criminals, stop crime, protect people, and make sure everyone is treated fairly under the law. But that is not what is happening in Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, the justice system has become something else. It is not used to protect people anymore. It is now being used to punish those who speak out against the government. It is being used to silence human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition leaders. The system is no longer fair. It is now a weapon used by the powerful against ordinary citizens.

People who are brave enough to speak out against injustice are arrested and jailed. Hopewell Chin’ono, a journalist who exposed corruption, and Jacob Ngarivhume, a political leader, were thrown into prison just for calling out the truth. Meanwhile, someone like Petronella Kagonye, who was facing fraud charges, was given bail. This shows that the law is not applied the same to everyone. If you are part of the ruling party, you get away with anything. If you are not, you get punished.

Even the International Commission of Jurists has said enough is enough. They said the Zimbabwean government must stop using fake charges like “subverting a constitutional government” to punish those who defend human rights. This kind of law is not meant to protect the people. It is meant to scare them and keep them quiet. And that is what the ZANU-PF government has been doing for years.

The situation in Zimbabwe’s prisons is even worse. Prisons like Chikurubi are dirty, overcrowded, and dangerous. There is not enough food, no proper healthcare, and very bad sanitation. Jacob Sikhala, an MP, was kept in prison for a long time. When he came out, he talked about how more than 50 people had to share one toilet. That is not justice. That is punishment and humiliation. Prisons should help people change, not destroy them.

Zimbabwe’s justice system has also ignored some of the worst crimes. For example, in the early 2000s, white farmers were kicked off their land by the government. The government said this was to give land back to the people. But in truth, the land was given to ZANU-PF elites and not to poor Zimbabweans. The courts said nothing. They allowed this injustice to happen.

Even now, the system is full of unfairness. The Vice President was given the role of Health Minister, even though he has no medical training. That is how the system works in Zimbabwe. It is not about skill or honesty. It is about loyalty to ZANU-PF. If you are loyal, you get rewarded. If you are not, you get arrested.

The courts are supposed to protect the constitution and make sure the government follows the law. But they have failed. The judges are silent when people are being tortured, arrested for no reason, or denied their rights. That silence makes them just as guilty as those who give the orders.

The justice system in Zimbabwe is broken. It does not help people. It protects the powerful. It is used to scare citizens and keep the ruling party in power. This is not justice. This is oppression.

We need to fix this. Zimbabwe needs real reforms. The courts must be free and fair. The police must serve all people, not just those in power. Prisons must be safe and clean. And most importantly, no one should be above the law—not even a minister or the president.

The people of Zimbabwe deserve better. They deserve justice, fairness, and peace. The time has come to stop using the law as a weapon. It is time to make the justice system work for everyone, not just the few at the top.