The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) one of the country’s longest-running pro-democracy networks has voted to dissolve its current organisational structure citing what it describes as an increasingly hostile and repressive political environment.
The decision was taken at the coalition’s 16th Annual General Meeting held yesterday where members said shrinking civic space, growing authoritarianism and the systematic use of the law against civil society had made it difficult for the organisation to operate effectively.
In an interview, the coalition’s outgoing spokesperson Marvellous Khumalo said Zimbabwe was facing “deepening socio-economic decline, democratic regression and political repression” warning that the constitutional gains made since independence in 1980 were now under serious threat.
Formed in 2001, CiZC has been a key umbrella body for dozens of civic groups advocating for democracy, constitutional reform and human rights.
It played a prominent role in major campaigns such as the Save Zimbabwe movement, which helped to build pressure for the 2009–2013 Government of National Unity.
But the coalition says the space for such activism has steadily closed.
Members reported being subjected to state surveillance, arbitrary arrests, bans on meetings and constant harassment — tactics they say are designed to silence dissent and prevent public accountability.
The organisation also accused the government of using laws such as the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Act to criminalise legitimate civil society work and undermine freedoms of association and expression.
The coalition linked the political clampdown to the country’s worsening economic and social conditions.
Despite official claims of economic growth, the coalition said the benefits were being enjoyed by a small elite while ordinary citizens were sinking deeper into poverty.
It said many workers earn as little as US$100 a month, while schools, hospitals and public transport are in a state of decay.
The group also raised alarm over children dropping out of school because of unaffordable fees and a public health system it described as “a life-threatening gamble”.
Women, young people, people with disabilities and orphans, Khumalo said are bearing the heaviest burden of the crisis, driving a growing wave of migration to neighbouring countries and beyond.
The coalition accused political leaders of looting public resources through fraudulent tenders and patronage networks arguing that Zimbabwe’s problems are “man-made” rather than inevitable.
It also criticised what it called tokenistic efforts to address past atrocities, including the Gukurahundi massacres saying unresolved historical injustices continue to deepen national trauma.
CiZC said its decision to dissolve its current structure should not be seen as defeat.
Instead, it described the move as a strategic repositioning to protect the long-term struggle for democracy and constitutionalism.
“This is about safeguarding the continuity, relevance and effectiveness of the people’s aspirations,” the coalition said, pledging to continue defending the constitution, the rule of law and good governance in new forms.
