NATIONAL
TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
WORKING GROUP
ZIMBABWE
EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Presented on 22 February 2018
ABOUT THIS
BRIEFING
The Issues
From a number of issues raised by stakeholders,
the following issues require the attention of the
Office of the President as it related to the
healing process in Zimbabwe.
Setting the tone for the Healing
Agenda in Zimbabwe
The NTJWG notes the current administration
has shown commitment to transitional justice.
This is evident in enactment of the NPRC Act,
the creation of the Office of the Special Advisor
to the President on National Healing and
Reconciliation and the continuation of the
practice of delegating one of the Vice Presidents
to that agenda. The President further made
comments in Davos, Switzerland highlighting
his commitment to ensuring that the past is
addressed. These are commendable.
NTJWG further encourages the Presidency,
through these structures to start thinking of a
more comprehensive reconciliation policy that
is beyond a single commission. This will enable
all other departments of the start to design
strategies that fit into the national reconciliation
agenda.
While many Stakeholders expected the
President to address the reconciliation issue at
This briefing was presented to the
Special Advisor to the President on
National Peace and Reconciliation.
The briefing draws from the monitoring
work done by NTJWG and the views
obtained by NTJWG from Stakeholders
who are concerned with the national
peace and reconciliation process in
Zimbabwe. Of great significance is the
Stakeholders’ Conference held on 07
February, 2018 where stakeholders
deliberated on the process and made a
number of recommendations regarding
the process.
his inauguration or at his State of the Nation
Address, these two addresses did not give any
policy direction. The President only made strong
pronouncements in Davos after being pressed
by foreign media. Reconciliation should not be
an attachment to an investment policy but
rather, must be a separate issue requiring the full
attention of the executive.
It is recommended that the Presidency prepare a
Special Address to the nation to highlight the
Government’s commitment to a comprehensive
programme of reconciliation. A plan must be put
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EXECUTIVE BRIEF – 22 FEBRUARY 2018