Towards development of a national peace and reconciliation framework in Zimbabwe

State and non – State Actors, using their different leverages, have been contributing towards the development of a national peace and reconciliation framework for Zimbabwe. The State, in terms of Article 7 of the Global Political Agreement, established the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) with the mandate of “Promotion of Equality, National Healing, Cohesion and Unity”. This has been the key driver in terms of coordination of the national peace efforts during the life span of the GNU. Non – State actors, through their participation and membership in the Church and Civil Society Forum (CCSF), which coordinated collective engagement initiatives of the Church and CSOs towards the development of the national framework for peace, forged close collaboration with the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) on efforts to both popularize the national agenda for peace and also to seek stakeholder input towards the process of developing a national peace framework in accordance with Article 7 of the Global Political Agreement. 

Some of the noteworthy milestones are as follows:

1. September 2008 - Article VII of the Global Political Agreement (GPA). Parties to the GPA agree to“… give consideration to the setting up of a mechanism to properly advise on what measures might be necessary and practicable to achieve national healing, cohesion and unity in respect of victims of pre and post independence political conflicts” 

1. February 2009 - the Government of National Unity (GNU) takes office and establishes the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) to facilitate the realization of Article 7 processes of the GPA.
2. May 2009 - Church and Civil Society Forum  (CCSF) holds a Peace Conference in Kariba where members resolved to formally engage the ONHRI in the facilitation and implementation of national reconciliation and healing as envisaged in Article VII of the GPA.

4. July 2009 – CCSF develops a Discussion paper on: National Healing and Reconciliation in Zimbabwe in the wake of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which outlined the key imperatives developed by CSOs and the Church on development of a national peace framework for Zimbabwe and for strengthening the coordination of non- state actors on issues of peace building.
5. Nov. 2009 – April 2010 – CCSF in collaboration with the ONHRI, held nationwide consultations to gather stakeholder input into the development of a national infrastructure for peace framework in accordance with Article 7 of the Global Political Agreement. Three Ministers from ONHRI responsible for the development of the national infrastructure for peace framework for Zimbabwe, namely Hon. J. Nkomo (representing ZANU-PF) and also the Chairman of ONHRI, Hon. S. Holland (representing MDC-T), and the late Hon. G. Sibanda (representing MDC-N) provided leadership to the meetings. The meetings were co-facilitated by the CCSF co-chairpersons.
6. April 2012 – ONHRI produces and submits to Cabinet the Draft Zimbabwe National Policy Framework for Peace and Reconciliation (ZNPFPR) based on the inputs obtained from the ONHRI nationwide consultative engagements with various actors including CCSF.
7. May 2012 – February 2013 – ONHRI, CCSF and other actors with interest in peace building lobbied for the inclusion of an institution to support the development and operationalization of the national infrastructure for peace framework in the new Zimbabwean Constitution.
8. March 2013 - Constitutional Referendum held in Zimbabwe followed by the adoption of a new Constitution on 22 May 2013.  Chapter 12 of the Constitution creates 5 Independent Commissions to support democracy, with Chapter 12 Part 6 setting out the composition, functions and reporting mechanisms of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).

 What needs to be done moving forward?

9. Non-state actors to lobby the State to fully operationalize the NPRC
10. Non state actors to engage with the State in the development of the draft NPRC Bill   by Parliament and in the process of appointment of commissioners to the NPRC
11. Nationwide civic education to raise awareness on the NPRC, highlighting the areas for involvement of communities, local leaders, CSOs, churches, local authorities as well as other development partners at local and national levels
12. Non-State actors to work closely with State and Independent Commissions to strengthen local justice mechanisms as well as on protection and reintegration of both victims and perpetrators of violence

 What are the constitutional provisions of the national peace and reconciliation commission (NPRC)?

Section 251 of the Constitution  of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act, 2013 makes provisions relating to the establishment and composition of the NPRC. In particular, it states that the Commission shall have a life span of ten years after the effective date, i.e 22 May 2013. This implies that the Commission needs to be established as soon as possible so that it begins to implement its mandate with the constitutional timeframe limitation outlined above.

 Section 252 of the Constitution outlines the functions of the NPRC as follows:

1. to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation;

2. to develop and implement programmes to promote national healing, unity and cohesion in Zimbabwe and the peaceful resolution of disputes;
3. to bring about national reconciliation by encouraging people to tell the truth about the past and facilitating the making of amends and the provision of justice;
4. to develop procedures and institutions at a national level to facilitate dialogue among political parties, communities, organizations and other groups, in order to prevent conflicts and disputes arising in the future;
5. to develop programmes to ensure that persons subjected to persecution, torture and other forms of abuse receive rehabilitative treatment and support;
6. to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;
7. to develop mechanisms for early detection of areas of potential conflicts and disputes, and to take appropriate preventive measures;
8. to do anything incidental to the prevention of conflict and the promotion of peace; 
9. to conciliate and mediate disputes among communities, organisations, groups and individuals; and
10. to recommend legislation to ensure that assistance, including documentation, is rendered to persons affected by conflicts, pandemics or other circumstances.