The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) says the Zimbabwean government is not committed to the justice and reconciliation agenda as witnessed by the slow implementation of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and apathy to allocate adequate resources to the process.
ZHRC Chairperson Mr Elasto Mugwadi, speaking during a National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) fourth policy discussion forum in Gweru on Friday said the government is taking too long to get the NPRC up and running.
He said government is starving commission of adequate resources three years having gone by since the new constitution came to effect.
Commissioner Mugwadi said government should create a conducive environment and also work with Civil Society Organisations for the process to be effective.
“The government has an immediate role to play which is largely creating an enabling environment for justice, peace and reconciliation.
“It should therefore consider the speeding up the setting up of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and an enabling legislation so that it can commence discharging its mandate,” he said.
“Government should provide the necessary budgetary and policy support needed by the NPRC not the poultry one thousand, one million, five hundred dollars we are getting; we are not yet serious, we need to be serious about these issues,” Mgwadi said.
Speaking on the same occasion, Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) Chairperson Commissioner Obert Machalaga concurred with Mugwati saying the government is too weak in implementing the process.
“You talk about slow implementation; most of it is not slow implementation it is just weak, there is no commitment to that process,’ said commissioner Machalaga.
The NTJWG discussion forum was themed ‘Women and the politics of reconciliation in Zimbabwe’ aimed at deliberating on the role of women in the reconciliation process ahead of the NPRC work commencement.
Giving presentations was United Nations Women Senior Coordinator and Advisor in Zimbabwe Mrs Rumbidzai Dube and Midlands State University Local Governance Studies Department lecturer Ms Kudzai Matsika.
The forum was moderated by NTJWG Chairperson Advocate Alec Muchadehama and human rights lawyer Mrs Nikiwe Tshabalala.
Ministry of Women Affairs Gender and Community Development Midlands Provincial Head Mrs Sithembile Dube and another MSU Lecturer Mr Joshua Chakawa were also present.
