FOREWORD BY THE CHAIRMAN
The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe His Excellency, E.D. Mnangagwa,
established this Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the 1st of August 2018 PostElection Violence, in Harare. The Commission was established with the purpose
to help heal the country from the wounds occasioned by the deeply regrettable
death of six people, the injuries to many, as well as destruction of property. As
Commissioners, we understood the primary motivation for appointment of the
Commission to be a quest to establish the truth of what happened in order to help
heal the wounds and contribute towards assisting the people of Zimbabwe to be
a nation at peace with itself.
The Commission, which is international in composition and impartial in character,
was a necessary exercise to enable the people of Zimbabwe not only to come to
terms with what happened during post-election violence but also to advance the
cause of national reconciliation and healing by uncovering the truth.
The work of the Commission was comprehensive and was conducted in an
inclusive and transparent manner. The media was granted full access to the
Commission’s proceedings. All those who had contributions to make towards the
work and success of the Commission were afforded a fair opportunity to do so
without fear, favour or prejudice. Voices from across the political and social
spectrum were heard. In order to achieve this, the Commission visited many places
of relevance to its work.
The Commission was readily accessible as a safe space where diverse narratives
could be ventilated, allowing for a deeper and more balanced understanding of
what really transpired during post-election violence.
My fellow Commissioners and I were deeply heartened to see the people of
Zimbabwe warmly embracing the Commission and enthusiastically participating in
its proceedings. For this we are most grateful.
The people of Zimbabwe demonstrated faith in the Commission’s ability to help
move the country forward towards a shared and prosperous future, free of violence
and intimidation. We trust that we have not disappointed them.
Guided by the terms of reference of the Commission, all applicable laws and
regulations, we conducted our work professionally, impartially and to the very best
of our abilities. We spared no effort. We held nothing back. We accepted our
responsibility as a Commission with abiding fidelity and a profound sense of duty
to the people of Zimbabwe.
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