Zimpapers Logo

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter 

THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) is scheduled to be in Matabeleland North province for a stakeholders meeting today and an outreach programme tomorrow as part of its national healing agenda. 

The commission embarked on a nationwide outreach programme to share with the public mechanisms and approaches that will be utilised in handling national healing issues.

In an interview in Bulawayo yesterday, chairperson of the NPRC Retired Justice Sello Nare encouraged people in Matabeleland North to participate in the programme that will precede the truth seeking, truth telling and public hearings.

“We’ll have a stakeholders meeting on Tuesday before we have the outreach programme on Wednesday. Both events will be held in Lupane. 

“I want to encourage the people of Matabeleland North to take part in the outreach programme and talk freely about Gukurahundi and their experiences so that we progress together in the journey towards healing. This will help us move forward and develop as a nation,” said Rtd Justice Nare.

He said the intention of the NPRC was to reach out to the affected people and dialogue with them as well as help them open up and agree on a way forward.

The 21-day outreach programme includes the strategic priorities for 2019 such as public hearings for healing and reconciliation, mechanisms for early detection of conflicts, national dialogue facilitation, setting up of peace committees, evidence based legislative and policy recommendations.

Others are key thematic areas which include complaints handling mechanisms, victim support mechanisms, truth telling and truth seeking mechanisms, healing, reconciliation and rehabilitation strategy, research and knowledge management strategy.

Highlighting structures in which Zimbabweans can participate for a broad based and inclusive national healing, reconciliation and peace building process are some of the issues to be covered.

Between April 15 and 16, the commission was in Mashonaland East while from April 23 to 28 the commission will be in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands.

On April 29 and 30 the commission will be in Mashonaland Central, May 2 and 4 in Harare and Mashonaland West, May 6 and 7 in Masvingo, May 8 and 10 in Manicaland and on May 14 and 15 in Bulawayo.

The commission will meet Government officials, traditional leaders, churches, arts and cultural organisations, civil society, business, academia, persons with disabilities, women and youth, among others.

President Mnangagwa signed the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill into law in January, which operationalised the commission that was appointed in 2016.

The Act provided for the functions, powers, operations and removal from office of the members of the Commission, manner of conducting investigations and staffing of the Commission, among others.

The NPRC was 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.

Section 252 of the Constitution states that the NPRC’s functions are to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation.

President Mnangagwa assigned Vice President Kembo Mohadi to be in charge of the Peace and Reconciliation portfolio as a show of his administration’s seriousness in dealing with the issue.

– @pamelashumba1