Chapter 10:30
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act
No. 2/2012
“principal officer,” in relation to an authority or person which is a Government Ministry or
department or a statutory or corporate body, means the head of the Ministry or
department in question, or the chairperson of the governing body or chief executive
officer of the statutory or corporate body in question, by whatever title he or she may
be called.
PART II
ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND STAFF
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Corporate status of Commission, etc.
(1) The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission shall be a body corporate capable of suing
and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to this Act, of performing all acts that bodies
corporate may by law perform.
(2) The First Schedule applies to the tenure of office and conditions of service of the
Commissioners as well as to the procedure to be followed by the Commission at its meetings.
(3) The Second Schedule sets out the ancillary powers of the Commission.
4 Functions of Commission
In addition to the functions and powers set out in section 100R(6) and (7) of the
Constitution, the Commission shall have the following functions and powers—
(a) to conduct investigations on its own initiative or on receipt of complaints;
(b) to visit and inspect prisons, places of detention, refugee camps and related facilities in
order to ascertain the conditions under which inmates are kept there, and to make
recommendations regarding those conditions to the Minister responsible for
administering the law relating to those places or facilities;
(c) to visit and inspect places where mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped
persons are detained under any law in order to ascertain the conditions under which
those persons are kept there, and to make recommendations regarding those
conditions to the Minister responsible for administering the law relating to those
places; and
(d) to ensure and provide appropriate redress for violations of human rights and for
injustice;
(e) to co-operate with human rights institutions belonging to international, continental or
regional organisations of which Zimbabwe is a member.
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Deputy Chairperson of Commission
(1) After consulting the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, the President shall
appoint a Deputy Chairperson from among the Commissioners.
(2) If the office of the Chairperson is vacant or the Chairperson is absent from duty, the
Deputy-Chairperson shall act as Chairperson.
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Executive Secretary, and other staff of Commission and consultants
(1) The Commission shall—
(a) appoint an Executive Secretary; and
(b) employ such other staff as maybe necessary for the proper exercise of its functions, and
engage consultants where necessary:
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