In a facebook post, Maphosa said, “Now that the Peace and Reconciliation Bill has been
signed into law, and anticipating resolution on many atrocities that were committed by
the Zanu Pf government on the Zimbabwean people, may I suggest that the Peace and
Reconciliation Commission be operationalized expeditiously, with a meaningful
budgetary provision and allocation. Also, I propose that the Commission be chaired by a
non Zimbabwean professional”.
“At the least let the chairperson be selected from either the SADC region or the African
Union. The chairperson must be a person who has an appreciation of our cultures as
diverse Zimbabweans, with a clear understanding of the importance of unity and co-
habitation as citizens confined within the same boarder lines. I anticipate and hope for an
amicable resolution to cases such as the 2008 electoral violence, Murambatsvina,
Gukurahundi and every other violation on our people by a government that has pushed an
elitist and discriminatory agenda driven by their allergy to equality, accountability,
inclusivity, diversity and good governance”.
Maphosa, who recently called on the media, other political parties and civic organizations
to stop what he termed commercialization of past atrocities in Zimbabwe, said the signing
the Peace and Reconciliation Bill into law by President Mnangagwa gives renewed hope
the atrocities and rights abuses will be resolved to pave way for a positive co existence of
the Zimbabwean citizens.
The young party spokesperson went on to acknowledge the absence of a provision to
accommodate his suggestion but quickly suggested that the current constitution be
amended to cater for that.
“I know the constitution does not have the provision for my suggestion but looking at the
sensitivity of the issues at hand, its only wise we consider a person who is not attached
and has no interests whatsoever for a comprehensively proper, fair and dignified solution
that is free of dispute. After all, constitutions are made for the people and people are
never made for constitutions. To me that will be a valid reason for amendment”, he said.
While I understand the writer’s concerns, I am surprised in his lack of confidence in his countrymen and women. In SA the had their own home grown in the respectable Bishop Tutu. I am sure we can emulate their example. We do have respectable and credible candidates in my opinion.
I agree with Maphosa. There is no one of credibility in Zim to chair the Commission. Its a tribaly highly polarised society. If there had been one credible person, that person would have long pronounced themselves by intervening and standing alone right from day one 1980. Bishop Tutu’s presence in Human rights issues dates back to apartheid and besides, South Africa never had a post 1994 State sponsored tribally and racially inspired violence. The difficulty with Zim is that it was the state which tribally divided people and the state has huge resources to inflict permanent damage as it has in Zim.
Atrocities must be well defined to cover the entire history of this country starting from pre-colonial to post colonial, lets not only look at ZANUpf. During the Assembly Point era numerous cdes were killed in cold blood at Conmarra, Chitungwiza Entumbane etc LEST WE FORGET!!!!
When does “the entire history of this country” start? I will tell now; we therefore have to go back to the Batu migration from East and Central Africa to the Southern parts of Africa; and ensure the Khoisan are reimbursed? What about going back to the slave trade? What about going back to the very formation of the African continent; starting from the epochs the land mass broke off from the South and North American and Asian Continents land masses? People who talk like you are people who are not seeking solutions to our nations problems. Yours is simply to throw in the spanner in the works and help continue with the pain our nation has been through and you enjoy that!!