Are you satisfied with the current activities of the NPRC?
This question explores respondents’ satisfaction with the current work of the NPRC.
The majority of respondents were not aware that the NPRC was now operational.
Is the independent NPRC free of political influence and the government?
The concept of independence within the ambit of a national Human Rights Institution
(NHRI) is one of strategic importance in that it adds to the citizens’ perception of
legitimacy and genuineness needed for the commission to be successful. It invokes
within the public a confidence in its ability to protect its citizens from the excesses of
government; the weak from the powerful as well as the minorities from the majority.
Section 2353 of the CoZ specifically articulates the independence of the Chapter 12
commissions. Being a constitutionally mandated body, this question asks respondents
to opine on whether they believe the NPRC is free from the influence of the state’s
governance structures as well as political parties. 72.3% believe that the NPRC is not
independent and is beholden to government and political influence.
Do you think the NPRC has enough skilled staff and budget to successfully deal
with past human rights abuses?
Considering the timeframe and the broadness of the NPRC’s constitutional mandate,
this question scrutinizes the capacity of the NPRC to fulfill that mandate. It asks
respondents to evince whether they believe in the capacity of the NPRC. Respondents
did not seem to realize that the NPRC was now operational and did not have enough
information to answer the question. This was evidenced by 95% of respondents
opining either ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’.
Should the Zimbabwean society deal with past human rights violations by using
traditional conflict resolving methods to bring healing, reconciliation and peace to
the community?
Realising that, 60% of Zimbabwe’s population resides within a rural setting that is
subject to African Customary Law, the question asks participants to opine on whether
traditional conflict resolving methods should be implemented solely, left out
completely or included as part of dealing with the past human rights violations
regimen. Over 90% of respondents believed that both the national processes and the
traditional conflict resolution mechanism should be used in tandem
In which major capacity have you answered the above questions?
This question asks respondents to indicate in what capacity they are participating in the
survey in. 63% of all respondents indicated that they were representing their
communities, 14% indicated civil society and 23% indicated they were representing
political establishments
Demographics
The last three questions in the survey measures the approximate age, gender marker,
and province of Zimbabwe, participants are from. The total number of participants in
the survey was 101 across the 5 provinces (Bulawayo – 20 participants, Manicaland – 11
participants, Mashonaland Central - 20 participants, Mashonaland West – 30
3
ibid, section 235
2