BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA GOVERNMENT was yesterday blasted for inheriting and maintaining colonial civic suppression tactics 41 years after independence. This came out during a virtual meeting conducted by SIVIO Institute to discuss the state of affairs  in the country 41 years after independence. East and Southern Africa Amnesty International regional director Deprose Muchena said the present government had failed to uphold its pledge to transform the lives of citizens, and instead closed the little available democratic space in the country. “The new nationalist leaders promised to dismantle the colonial State, that is its laws, policies and its institutional framework, including weaponisation of the law, racism and discrimination,” he said. “The leaders also promised to offer a sense of belonging to the citizens. Government also promised to respect human rights. However, at 41, the human rights question is still one of the biggest questions that human right defenders are still dealing with.” Law expert Alex Magaisa said: “There is a democratic deficit in post-independent Zimbabwe. There is still exclusion in politics precisely because the ruling party (Zanu PF) views itself as the State and it has caused many challenges for the nation to move forward. Zimbabwe is not the only country which was colonised. So many African countries have been colonised although in different circumstances but many have managed to move on from colonisation and develop forward.” Legal expert Munyaradzi Gwisai said the Zimbabwean government made efforts to honour its independence promises during the first two years, but regressed thereafter. Follow Miriam on Twitter @FloMangwaya

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