“Whenever I see injustice, I rise into action. I am one of many Zimbabweans committed to democracy. I want to see a country where every Zimbabwean is treated equally. I am part of a group of human rights defenders who have realised the need to do something about the destination of the country for the sake of present and future generations,” said Ncube in a recent interview.
Ncube, who was recently voted the Chairperson of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, has been very vocal on the Gukurahundi atrocities which left an estimated 20,000 civilians in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces dead in the 1980s when the government unleashed the notorious North Korean trained 5th Brigade on civilians.
“I am one of the people who spearheaded the formation of the Gukurahundi Atrocities Redress Coordinating Mechanism. We formed GARCOM after realising that there were some organisations and individuals who were purporting to be representing Gukurahundi victims when in actual fact they were not.
“Some were even getting money in the name of the victims while the real voiceless majority victims remain marginalised,” said Ncube.
Zapu and Heal Church Ministries are both part of GARCOM. When Archbishop Pius Ncube was implicated in a sex scandal in 2007, Ncube was part of the solidarity coordinating team which offered moral support.
“Bishop Pius Ncube is one of those who have fought boldly for justice and democracy. We stood by him during his time of need not because we supported what he was alleged to have done but because of the courageous work he did for the people of this country,” said Ncube.
Macra, established in September 2008 as a non-partisan, independent, non-governmental and non-profit network-coalition of faith-based, civic and other groups and individuals, has also been actively involved in the provision of civic education for marginalised rural communities on the constitution drafting process.
“Macra has mobilised people and deepened their understanding of constitutional issues such as separation of powers, independent judiciary, bill of rights, devolution of power, systems of government and regular free and fair elections. During our outreach programmes, we managed to reach over 10,000 people,” he said.
In conjunction with various civil organisations under Nango, it has also been extensively lobbying regional and international organizations such as the Southern African Development Community and the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights to ensure that signatories of the Global Political Agreement fulfil their obligation to put the country on the path to democracy and respect for the rule of the law in order to create economic opportunities for Zimbabweans.
Ncube said his organisation was greatly concerned at the lack of commitment by some principals in the inclusive government to transform to democracy.
“We are concerned with the continued stifling of the freedoms of expression, association and assembly as well as the freedom of the press. We are concerned that the country has not reformed key institutions and laws to allow truly free and fair elections,” he added.
Ncube has also been involved in peace building through the Masakhaneni Peace Project Trust. Commenting on his election to the Nango chairmanship, he said the civil society umbrella body would continue fighting for the interests of the poor, the marginalised and the vulnerable by advocating for a positive and enabling operating environment for NGOs.
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