accept and to appreciate that this is not a religious war. The President made it clear that they will
stay in Somalia for as long as is necessary and Al Shabaab are saying they will continue hitting
hard. So I think if you are talking about national cohesion and reconciliation, it also depends on
factors beyond our borders.
In view of the Commission, Kenya was lucky because we had a regional support that provided
oversight during the National Accord under the able chair of Mr. Kofi Annan, Benjamin Mkapa,
Graca Machel. This has helped ensure that what was agreed upon in the accord is implemented.
But for Zimbabwe we need to be wary that any appointment to the Commission is competitive
and in our case it is very clear that if one was a known and active member of a political party then
they could not become a Commissioner. In Kenya under the new Constitution we have about 1520 constitutional commissions and independent offices. The appointment process to these
commissions should be competitive, reflect the diversity of the people, avoid political class,
where possible, and only then can they say they are independent. Because experience shows
that truth telling is essential for true reconciliation, the NPRC must not only encourage truth
telling but must ensure full truth recovery of the past through various methods.
62
The Second International Conference on Transitional Justice in Zimbabwe
Select target paragraph3
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