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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Commission of Inquiry which is conducting hearings into the post-election violence that rocked Harare has said it will conduct hearings in Bulawayo on Friday and Gweru on Saturday.

The commission said it is going to conduct hearings outside the capital city to give all Zimbabweans a chance to be heard.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed a seven-member team led by former South African President Mr Kgalema Motlanthe to investigate and make recommendations on the August 1 violence that resulted in the death of six people.

Commission of Inquiry spokesperson Professor Lovemore Madhuku said the commission was targeting people who could have been in Harare when the violence occurred but are not resident there.

In Bulawayo, the hearings will be conducted at Holiday Inn starting at 10AM while in Gweru they will be held at the Suburban Village the following day at the same time. “The commission is coming to Bulawayo and not just Bulawayo but other areas to give opportunities for Zimbabweans outside Harare who may have something to say in respect to the terms of reference of the commission.

“They might be people outside Harare who may have witnessed what happened in Harare but are not based in Harare. We have freedom of movement in the country and because of freedom of movement the person might have been in Harare on August 1 or before that and after that,” said Prof Madhuku.

He said the commission does not want to leave anything to chance hence the decision to conduct hearings outside Harare.

Prof Madhuku said the commission would also be accepting possible recommendations on what people expect when demonstrations occur in the country.
He said at the moment it’s not clear when the police or military should intervene hence part of the recommendations would state when the armed forces should come in.

“We are really calling upon Zimbabweans to use the opportunity presented by the Commission to state anything that they feel is useful for the future of the country with respect to the issue of violence. And also with respect to the role of the army and role of the police during protests as people have expectations to say when there is a demonstration, when should the police or the soldiers intervene,” Prof Madhuku said.

He said members of the public should not censor themselves when they appear before the commission as there is no input of little significance.

Prof Madhuku said the Commission has also tasked its Secretariat to secure bigger venues so that challenges that occurred in their hearings last week do not recur.

In Harare last week, some people raised complaints that the venue which was used for hearings was too small. — @nqotshili