Hopes ride on top UN diplomat's visit to Zimbabwe

Yesterday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay began a visit to Zimbabwe—something no one in her role has ever done before. For years, human rights advocates have pointed to state violence, disputed elections and impunity as just a few of the violations being carried out there. But the UN needed a formal invitation, and they’ve finally got one. Marlon Zakeyo heads the NGO the Zimbabwe Advocacy Office in Geneva. He told reporter Daniel Gross that the visit is going ahead following unrelenting international pressure and ahead of planned national elections and constitutional reform later this year. He expanded on the “tough issues” facing Zimbabwe: