Moses Ziyambi
The National Transitional Justice
Working Group (NTJWG) has said Zimbabwe is a deeply divided and angry nation, a
reality that makes truth-telling a critical factor if genuine healing and
reconciliation is to be achieved.
Working Group (NTJWG) has said Zimbabwe is a deeply divided and angry nation, a
reality that makes truth-telling a critical factor if genuine healing and
reconciliation is to be achieved.
This and other sentiments came
out on Wednesday during a Masvingo stakeholders’ consultative and monitoring
meeting on the work of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).
out on Wednesday during a Masvingo stakeholders’ consultative and monitoring
meeting on the work of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).
Participants expressed
dissatisfaction with the work of the NPRC, saying all the commissioners were concentrated
in Harare with little or no outreach being done outside of the intervention of
civil society.
dissatisfaction with the work of the NPRC, saying all the commissioners were concentrated
in Harare with little or no outreach being done outside of the intervention of
civil society.
The NTJWG’s Tendai Tlou said it
was unfortunate that politicians were making little or no efforts to facilitate
closure in such tragic parts of the nation’s history as the Gukurahundi
massacres and the 2008 election violence that saw hundreds being killed, raped
and maimed.
was unfortunate that politicians were making little or no efforts to facilitate
closure in such tragic parts of the nation’s history as the Gukurahundi
massacres and the 2008 election violence that saw hundreds being killed, raped
and maimed.
“The main pillars of transitional
justice include truth-telling, access to justice, reconciliation and
reparations. As NTJWG, we are closely monitoring the work of the NPRC and we
are not satisfied by their progress. We are also trying to engage the political
power brokers as much as possible but there seems to be a reluctance to
facilitate the closure that is key to genuine healing and progress,” said Tlou.
justice include truth-telling, access to justice, reconciliation and
reparations. As NTJWG, we are closely monitoring the work of the NPRC and we
are not satisfied by their progress. We are also trying to engage the political
power brokers as much as possible but there seems to be a reluctance to
facilitate the closure that is key to genuine healing and progress,” said Tlou.
Other stakeholders said they were
worried by the ambiguity that shrouds the NPRC’s constitutional timeframe since
it was only operationalised in 2018.
worried by the ambiguity that shrouds the NPRC’s constitutional timeframe since
it was only operationalised in 2018.
“There is enormous work to be
done yet there is no clarity as to when exactly the mandate of the commission
is supposed to end. Does the 10-year lifespan that the constitution talks about
run from 2013 when the constitution came into effect, or does it run from 2018
when the commission was operationalised. Those in power are enjoying this
ambiguity as it allows them to tilt the scales in whatever way that is
convenient to them,” said one participant.
done yet there is no clarity as to when exactly the mandate of the commission
is supposed to end. Does the 10-year lifespan that the constitution talks about
run from 2013 when the constitution came into effect, or does it run from 2018
when the commission was operationalised. Those in power are enjoying this
ambiguity as it allows them to tilt the scales in whatever way that is
convenient to them,” said one participant.
The country’s five independent
commissions came with the adoption of a new constitution in 2013, but they were
never immediately operationalised as political considerations took precedence
over national interest. The NPRC was only operationalised at the beginning of
2018 but it still operates without a secretariat, meaning the commissioners’
findings and recommendations cannot be effectively implemented or enforced.
commissions came with the adoption of a new constitution in 2013, but they were
never immediately operationalised as political considerations took precedence
over national interest. The NPRC was only operationalised at the beginning of
2018 but it still operates without a secretariat, meaning the commissioners’
findings and recommendations cannot be effectively implemented or enforced.
