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Newly-appointed chairperson of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Justice Sello Nare (Rtd) takes the oath of office before President Mnangagwa at a swearing-in ceremony at State House in Harare yesterday. — Picture by Innocent Makawa

Farirai Machivenyika and Tendai Rupapa, Harare Bureau
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission meets on Tuesday to discuss disturbances that rocked public hearings of the commission in some parts of Matabeleland recently.

This was said by the new NPRC chairperson Retired Justice Sello Masole Nare soon after taking his oath of office and loyalty before President Mnangagwa at State House yesterday.

The NPRC public hearings in Bulawayo ended prematurely after rowdy members of secessionist group Mthwakazi, complained over the composition of the commission.

Justice Nare said he would get information on the disturbances in his meeting with fellow commissioners on Tuesday.

“As we travel through the country we will be able to identify the challenges,” he said.

“I know there have been some challenges in the area of Matabeleland and at this point in time I have not received any reports, so I am meeting the commissioners on Tuesday and I will be able to talk to them and find out what the problem is and we will look into it in terms of the (National Peace and Reconciliation Commission) Act.

“The Act is specific as to what exactly I must do in order to get into the healing process of the various people of Zimbabwe.”

Justice Nare said the actions of the group had been condemned by some sections of society in the Matabeleland regions which are keen on engaging Government and the commission on the healing process.

“What is interesting is that, that group of people most of them were not born in 1980 when we gained our independence,” he said. “I am yet to find out what the situation is and if you read yesterday’s newspapers it revealed that people are not happy.

“The churches are not happy. Some civil societies are not happy. They think it is their chance now if they have an interaction with the Government, with this body, that the healing process will carry on.”

Speaking on his appointment Justice Nare said it was both a challenge and an honour for him.

“It is a challenge,” he said. “A challenge that as a farmer I have been asked to come and lead this body of commissioners, leading to the healing process of the country trying to see that things are in order.

“It is a challenge I must say so and I am grateful to His Excellency and his Government for choosing me in this challenging issue.”

Justice Nare takes over from the late former Speaker of Parliament Cde Cyril Ndebele who died in 2016.

He is a seasoned legal expert, having served as a senior magistrate in 1998, then as President of the Administrative Court in Harare and Bulawayo in 2001 and 2003, respectively.

He was later appointed Judge of the Labour Court (Bulawayo) in 2006 until his retirement in 2013.

The NPRC is established under Sections 251 to 253 of the Constitution to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation, to develop programmes to promote national healing, unity and peaceful conflict resolution.

Other members of the Commission are Lilian Chigwedere, Patience Chiradza, Choice Ndoro, Charles Masunungure, Geoffrey Chada, Leslie Ncube and Godfrey Chekenyere.