In a chilling reminder of how far Zimbabwe has drifted from the ideals of democracy, riot police violently raided Senator Jameson Timba’s residence three weeks ago. The raid followed a peaceful commemoration of the Soweto Uprising hosted at his home. What should have been a reflective gathering honoring the legacy of young people who fought for freedom in 1976 turned into a terrifying display of state-sponsored violence. Seventy-eight young Zimbabweans were arrested, beaten, and tortured under no legal justification. Among them were innocent bystanders and even Senator Timba’s son who had come to mark Father’s Day with his father.
Senator Timba had invited youth from his community to a simple braai, an event meant to commemorate the Soweto Uprising and its historical significance in the broader struggle for justice and liberation in Southern Africa. It was a peaceful afternoon of unity and remembrance. But instead of respecting the sanctity of private property and lawful assembly, armed riot police stormed the senator’s home without a warrant or warning. What followed was sheer terror. Witnesses described how people were attacked indiscriminately. Some were thrown into the swimming pool. Others were hit with batons, suffocated with teargas, and forced to crawl on their knees to the police trucks.
The cruelty was systematic and deliberate. Dozens were left with fractured and broken limbs. Their cries for help were ignored. To this day, many remain in jail without trial or proper medical attention. The courts, which are constitutionally bound to uphold the right to bail, have become complicit through their silence. No legitimate reason has been provided for the continued detention of these young people whose only offense was attending a peaceful event at a senator’s home. This is not law enforcement. This is political persecution. It is state terrorism in broad daylight.
The arrest of Senator Timba’s son is particularly disturbing. He was not involved in organizing the event. He was simply visiting his father on Father’s Day. That did not protect him. Nothing could. Because in Zimbabwe today, being associated with an opposition figure is all it takes to be brutalized. The message from the state is clear. Do not gather. Do not speak. Do not remember. Do not dissent. Or you will pay the price.
This incident has sent shockwaves across the nation. It reveals the deep rot within our policing institutions and the terrifying extent of their unaccountable power. When police officers become foot soldiers for political repression, democracy dies. When peaceful youth are treated like criminals for daring to remember history, it is not just their rights that are violated. It is all of ours.
Zimbabwe’s Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, protection from arbitrary arrest, and the right to dignity. These are not optional clauses. They are the foundation of any civilized society. And yet, week after week, we see those rights trampled by a regime that fears its own people. The continued incarceration of the Timba 78 is a national disgrace. It is a stain on the conscience of every leader who remains silent. It is an insult to the legacy of the Soweto Uprising that young people are now beaten for honoring it.
We must not let fear silence us. We must demand justice. We must call for a full investigation into the raid. Those responsible must be held accountable. And above all, the detained youth must be released immediately and unconditionally. What happened at Senator Timba’s home is not an isolated event. It is part of a broader assault on democracy by a regime that no longer governs with consent but with force. The future of Zimbabwe depends on whether we allow this brutality to become normal. I, for one, refuse.
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