In January 2018, the GoZ operationalized the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC)
established by Section 252 of the Constitution after almost five years of back and forth negotiations
between the government and human rights organizations organizations fighting on behalf of victims of
past human rights violations. The jury is still out on the performance of the NPRC, which seemed to
suffer teething problems after the Forum took it to court for operating outside the law. This case arose
after the sad demise of its first Chairperson and the NPRC tried to convene meetings and carry out its
work without a substantive chairperson. The Forum took exception to this approach arguing that the
law needed to be adhered to for the NPRC to carry out its legal mandate. Although the application by the
Forum was dismissed in court, the GoZ took heed after having first ignored this call and now a
substantive Chairperson has been appointed. However, the NPRC is yet to secure enough resources
(human and financial) to enable it function effectively. Its secretariat is yet to be fully appointed and,
according to its officials, it is operating on a very slim budget. Questions remain on the link between the
NPRC and officers appointed from the President's Office who used to work in the Organ on National
Healing and Reconciliation. Their role remains unclear and it could be disruptive if not handled well.
The quest for justice in Zimbabwe remains unfulfilled for thousands of people. Some of the survivors
and victims were left with permanent injuries. Some lost their parents, children, property and livestock,
got maimed, at the hands of the State security agents under the brutal Mugabe regime. As president
Mnangagwa and other senior government leaders traverse the world with the “Zimbabwe is Open for
Business” mantra, the Forum believes that the president should also address long-standing questions of
when justice will be delivered to the thousands of victims who suffered at the hands of the State since
independence in 1980.
This report seeks to discuss impunity in Zimbabwe for state security agents, how it is perpetuated by the
State, what has been done thus far, and what excuses the government and the security services have
continued to give. The report proposes several policy changes with regards impunity and justice for
state security officials and victims of state-sponsored violence and politically-motivated violations
respectively.
Anti-Impunity Report
9
Select target paragraph3
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