Figure 2: Sekai Gombe unpacking the mandate of the NPRC.
Mr.Sekai Gombe went further and unpacked the NPRC. He started by giving a brief history of the NPRC
by outlining that the abbreviation stands for National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, which
also articulates it focus. Mr.Gombe explained that the NPRC is one of the independent Commissions
under Chapter 12 of the Constitution established by Amendment No.20 Act of 2013. Parliament
debated the NPRC Bill since 2016 up to 2017. The Bill was only adopted into law in October, 2018 and
the NPRC officially started work 5 January, 2019 when the law was signed by the President and
gazetted.
Mr.Gombe put emphasis on the Commission’s mandate to deal with the past, promote peace, support
democracy and entrench a culture of human rights. As such, the Commission is expected to be
accountable and accessible to every citizen particularly those who are victims and survivors of past
atrocities. He added that its main focus, as outlined under section 52 of the Constitution, is to ensure
post-conflict justice, peace, healing and reconciliation.
He also briefly touched on the NPRC’s responsibility to produce and publish reports capturing its
annual activities so as to keep stakeholders up to date.
Mr.Gombe then listed the NPRC Commissioners, their names and the regions/provinces which they
are responsible for. Of particular interest was Commissioner Patience Chiradza who oversees the
Manicaland province and is also chairing the Provincial Peace Committee (PPC) for the same.
Tracking the work of the NPRC:
It is always important to breakdown the work of the NPTRC so that survivors, as stakeholders, are also
aware what the NPRC has been up to since its operationalisation in January 2018. Mr. Gombe guided
participants from 5 January when the NPRC was operationalised to the recent establishment of PPCs
to ensure that the NPRC is accessible at provincial level.
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