Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
Following the detection of the first Covid-19 cases in early 2020, the Zimbabwe government, like other countries, implemented response strategies to manage the unfolding pandemic. This was mostly through lockdowns, closure of borders, and promulgation of health protocols. An important component of t...
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| Language: | English |
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MSU Press
2022
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| Online Access: | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5210 |
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| author | Benice Farai Nkomo Owen Mangiza |
| author2 | Midlands State University |
| author_facet | Midlands State University Benice Farai Nkomo Owen Mangiza |
| author_sort | Benice Farai Nkomo |
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| description | Following the detection of the first Covid-19 cases in early 2020, the Zimbabwe government, like other countries, implemented response strategies to manage the unfolding pandemic. This was mostly through lockdowns, closure of borders, and promulgation of health protocols. An important component of this response framework was the outright deployment of the police force, and armed military personnel to enforce strict civil compliance with the lockdowns, curfews, business operations and health guidelines. This resulted in the heavy presence of the police, and soldiers, in public spaces to deal with civil ‘disobedience’. This engagement further culminated in reports of alleged human rights violations and shrinking the democratic space while also portraying ‘images of war’. Citizens responded to the ‘war’ through a web of strategies that included outright defiant actions like
demonstrations, unauthorised movements and unsanctioned business operations. Reports of bribery, extortion, and other corrupt acts, permeated the interface between the law enforcement agencies and the general public. What was termed ‘disobedience’ by law enforcement agencies in the face of the pandemic were actually survival strategies by the people in the ‘new normal’ period which threatened their sources of livelihood, and freedom. Even in the face of severe restrictions, citizens ‘somehow’ found their way into the cities, vending positions or getting to their intended travelling destinations, and playing a ‘cat and mouse game’ with the police and soldiers. |
| format | journal article |
| id | ir-11408-5210 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | MSU Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-52102022-11-09T08:57:47Z Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe Benice Farai Nkomo Owen Mangiza Midlands State University Midlands State University Lockdown Pandemic War images Civil disobedience Survival strategies Following the detection of the first Covid-19 cases in early 2020, the Zimbabwe government, like other countries, implemented response strategies to manage the unfolding pandemic. This was mostly through lockdowns, closure of borders, and promulgation of health protocols. An important component of this response framework was the outright deployment of the police force, and armed military personnel to enforce strict civil compliance with the lockdowns, curfews, business operations and health guidelines. This resulted in the heavy presence of the police, and soldiers, in public spaces to deal with civil ‘disobedience’. This engagement further culminated in reports of alleged human rights violations and shrinking the democratic space while also portraying ‘images of war’. Citizens responded to the ‘war’ through a web of strategies that included outright defiant actions like demonstrations, unauthorised movements and unsanctioned business operations. Reports of bribery, extortion, and other corrupt acts, permeated the interface between the law enforcement agencies and the general public. What was termed ‘disobedience’ by law enforcement agencies in the face of the pandemic were actually survival strategies by the people in the ‘new normal’ period which threatened their sources of livelihood, and freedom. Even in the face of severe restrictions, citizens ‘somehow’ found their way into the cities, vending positions or getting to their intended travelling destinations, and playing a ‘cat and mouse game’ with the police and soldiers. 15 1 131 149 2022-11-09T08:57:46Z 2022-11-09T08:57:46Z 2021 journal article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5210 en The Dyke 1815-9036 open MSU Press |
| spellingShingle | Lockdown Pandemic War images Civil disobedience Survival strategies Benice Farai Nkomo Owen Mangiza Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title | Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: The military and police in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | civil ‘disobedience’ and images of war: the military and police in the face of the covid-19 pandemic in zimbabwe |
| topic | Lockdown Pandemic War images Civil disobedience Survival strategies |
| url | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5210 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benicefarainkomo civildisobedienceandimagesofwarthemilitaryandpoliceinthefaceofthecovid19pandemicinzimbabwe AT owenmangiza civildisobedienceandimagesofwarthemilitaryandpoliceinthefaceofthecovid19pandemicinzimbabwe |