A Guide to Understanding A Guide to Understanding the the NATIONAL NATIONAL PEACE & RECONCILIATION PEACE & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION COMMISSION IN ZIMBABWE IN ZIMBABWE Acknowledgments The National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) acknowledges support given by various stakeholders during the 7.3 Political neutrality development of this guide. The law requires that members of the NPRC, including the Special thanks go to the secretariat of the NTJWG, which Chairperson, be independent and politically neutral. If they are is the Zimbabwe Rights NGO Forum. members of aHuman political party on their appointment to the NPRC, they will have to resign that membership within 30 days after being This guide would not have been successful without the generous appointed. support of our funding partners. 7.4For Experience feedback and information in this guide, we are grateful to the stakeholders who read through the draft guide and gave valuable The law further requires that Commissioners be chosen for input. their integrity and their knowledge and understanding of, and experience in mediation, conciliation, conflict prevention and Finally, we owe it to the thousands of victims who have requested for management, post-conflict reconciliation or peace building. this simplified guide. It is their enduring hope for healing which keeps us on our feet. 7.5 Duration of office The Chairperson and other members are appointed for five-year terms, which can be renewed once. NPRC Commissioners can only be removed before end of term if they are unable to perform their functions because of physical or mental incapacity, serious incompetence, guilty of serious misconduct or has become ineligible for office or appointment. Before removal from office, the President must appoint a tribunal to consider the question of the removal of a Commissioner in line with the Constitution. The President can only remove the Commissioner when the tribunal makes such a recommendation. This procedure is designed to protect the independence of the Commissioners. 34 4