DISAPPOINTED by the slow pace Parliament is taking in operationalising the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), Binga residents have called on civil society organisations to institute legal action to force the legislature to act with speed. Own Correspondent
Speaking at a one-day NPRC information kiosk run by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum at Manjolo business centre on Wednesday, residents called on parliamentarians to be held accountable for delaying the reconciliation process.
“We are disappointed with the representatives that we have in the House,” Thomas Simatelela said.
“They are not pushing for the full implementation of the Constitution.”
Agnes Sibanda, another villager, said it was disappointing to note that parliamentarians had let two years of the NPRC go to waste. “Our representatives have failed us,” she said.
“They know how badly we have suffered, especially from political violence, and they are aware that it will be difficult for the nation to move forward without an adequate peace, healing and reconciliation process.
“We are disappointed by the failure to set the NPRC timeously.”
The NPRC — whose main objective to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation — has a life span of only 10 years.
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Residents said the absence of peace had made Zimbabwe poorer and fail to achieve its development goals.
“We have hurt each other and we are traumatised and cannot contribute to nation building and development in our state,” Timothy Mwembe told Southern Eye.
Dzikamai Bere — a transitional justice researcher with the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum — said: “If policymakers continue to ignore and postpone peace, national healing, justice and reconciliation processes and push back the wishes of the people, Zimbabweans will fail to fully participate in national processes.”
Bere implored the legislators to operationalise and resource the NPRC to ensure healing, reconciliation and development.
While Parliament called for nominations for the commissioners last May, a list of shortlisted candidates for interviews was only released on Wednesday, almost a year later.
