✓ to report to the President in writing, the result of the inquiry within a period of three months from the date of swearing in of the Commissioners.33 ✓ The Commission through its life span had its own challenges. The Forum noted the following challenges with regards the operation of the Commission. a. The choice of venue in Harare remained a major cause of concern; Cresta Lodge Msasa was far from being a central and accessible location. Further the venue was small, and the overspill tent had its own challenges, as the audio quality in the tent was bad. The Commission could have chosen a central and an accessible venue for which would take as many interested parties as possible. b. The Commission’s programme was unclear. The commission failed to set out its modus operandi right from the beginning. Its operations always appeared to be impulse. The announcement that the Commission was going to Bulawayo just came more like from nowhere. It would have been easier if the commission had come up with a shared draft programme which they reserved the right to amend as and when it was necessary. It came therefore as a surprise to hear the Commission spokesperson advising that the Commission had finished hearing oral evidence and was now consolidating its report. This happened when basically people where still queuing to give the commission evidence. Why it became necessary to close people out, write a report within two days and present the report three weeks ahead of schedule remains a mystery. c. There was no clear way on how witnesses were being invited. For example the Forum secretariat requested on less than thrice to be invited to explain the evidence that was submitted before the Commission with no favourable response. d. The Commission failed to protect witnesses. The witnesses were giving sensitive information and yet there was no witness protection programme by the Commission. Four members of the Mthwakazi Republic namely Welcome Moyo, Mayor Ncube, Marshall Sibanda and Terrence Wisdom Mkhwananzi were arrested in Bulawayo immediately after Mkhwananzi had testified. Also VERITAS, Commissions – Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence on the 1st of August 2018, 01 September 2018, Watch, http://www.veritaszim.net/node/3189 33 44

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