BINGA NORTH 1. CONSTITUENCY: BINGA NORTH 2. PROVINCE: Matabeleland NORTH 3. VENUE: NSENGA HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL 4. DATE: 18 SEPTEMBER 2009 5. PARTICIPANTS: No.: 46 Sex: 39% female Age: 15–61, average 33 years From: police officers, government employees, traditional leaders, peasant farmers, the Member of Parliament, women and church representatives 6. RECOMMENDATIONS i. Political violence • During the election, children were forced to attend what they called “command centres”, where they were abused and forced to engage in violence against fellow villagers. This must stop [women’s group]. ii. Traditional leadership • Traditional leaders have been stripped of their power and they are now being forced to align themselves with the dominant political authority. They are forced to deliver “false judgements” in dealing with subjects. Their traditional responsibilities have been dropped and they now have to do what politicians want them to do [political activists and traditional leaders]. iii. Breakdown of the health and education system • A war-like political situation negatively affects the education system. Both teachers and school children were forced out of school to take part in political activities. It was critical to the youths that schools had been closed down, while in the few that remained open, the working and learning conditions collapsed [youth and women’s groups]. • The shortage of medicines in clinics and hospitals is of great concern. iv. Institutional reform • Members of the police force are now performing political duties. People are arrested on trumped-up charges. Members of the neighbourhood watch committee said police officers were forced to attend political meetings [group of local police officers and youths]. • The police must remain within the bounds of the law and not party loyalty. There must be reform of the entire civil service so that it serves the people, and not individuals or certain sections of the society. • Society must focus on building a culture of good local and national governance and human rights through civic education. Human rights, especially workers’ rights, must be known by the people [government employees]. Taking Transitional Justice to the People – Outreach Report 99