1.0 What is the NPRC?
NPRC stands for the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
The NPRC is one of the independent commissions established by the
Constitution of Zimbabwe in 2013. Since 2016 Parliament of
Zimbabwe is debating the law to enable the NPRC to carry out its
work. Chapter two addresses all the questions about the law that
establishes and regulates the NPRC.
The NPRC has a very broad constitutional mandate. A constitutional
mandate simply means the authority to carry out particular work
given by the constitution. According to the constitution the NPRC’s
main work is to realize post-conict justice, peace, healing, and
reconciliation. How the NPRC is going to do this is discussed in greater
detail in Chapter three of this guide.
The NPRC is a temporary commission. It is expected to complete its
work in ten years. There is no agreement on when to start counting
these ten years. Chapter four offers guidance on this issue.
In order to full its constitutional mandate the NPRC will carry out
numerous other activities. The constitution hints on these other
activities that the NPRC will have to carry. These include investigating
human rights abuses, mediation and researching. The guide explains
the functions of the NPRC fully in chapter ve.
All the operations and activities of the NPRC will be documented in
yearly reports which must be submitted to Parliament through the
responsible Minister. Additionally, the NPRC may through the
responsible Minister, submit reports to Parliament on particular
matters relating to national peace and reconciliation. See more
about these reports and recommendations in chapter six.
According to the Constitution, the NPRC should be composed of
nine members including the Chairperson. The Chairperson is
appointed separately. In December 2015, President Robert Mugabe
appointed eight members to the NPRC. These are Lilian
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