Since 1980, Zimbabwe commemorates Independence Day every 18 April, when the country gained majority rule after a protracted and tortuous struggle for independence against repressive colonial rule. The liberation war resulted in enormous loss of lives and untold suffering, mainly among the generality of Zimbabweans, and therefore the sacrifices made by the heroes of the liberation struggle, living and departed, should never be underestimated.
Today, the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) joins the rest of the country in saluting heroes of the liberation struggle whilst lamenting the country’s ever-deteriorating socio-economic and human rights situation.
The euphoria that characterised the 18 April 1980 independence celebrations was premised on the hope that the day marked the birth of a nation grounded on respect for the Constitution, particularly for human rights, peace, unity, prosperity, and dignity of all people. Sadly, as time passed by, together with it, the euphoria and the hopes and dreams of a peaceful and prosperous nation. With the passing of time and the corresponding negation of values and aspirations of the liberation struggle, the lustre of the day is slowly diminishing. As we commemorate this day, the NTJWG reflects on the long-forgotten ideals of our struggle for freedom.
The 2023 Independence Day celebrations occur when citizen vulnerability is at an all-time high. There is a rise in citizen vulnerability attributed to wilful human rights violations perpetrated by the State against citizens. A culture of impunity is worsening the human rights situation, denying justice to the many citizens who have continued to live the lives of victims. The situation has continued to deteriorate as the country edges closer to elections, scheduled between 26 July and 26 August this year. On 1 August 2018, just after another election, six people were shot dead by armed soldiers deployed to post-electoral protests. In 2019, a commission of enquiry led by former South African president Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe recommended the arrest of soldiers implicated in the killings, but no arrest has been made to date. Innocent victims and survivors have yet to receive any compensation. The greatest tragedy has also been in judicial capture, which has continued to threaten the rule of law. Zimbabweans with opposing views have been subjected to very long pre-trial incarceration. As we speak, Job Sikhala has been in jail for 10 months, being denied bail.
The country’s unresolved past cast has also been the biggest elephant in the room. People carry deep emotional, physical and psychological scars that require national healing. Dark episodes in the country’s post-colonial era, such as Gukurahundi, Operation Murambatsvina, and Operation Makavhotera Papi, among others, have not been cured. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has failed to rise to the occasion, a development that has exacerbated the suspicion between the State and the citizens. Because of the impunity and unresolved past, most citizens view State institutions as symptoms of depression.
Perhaps the greatest betrayal of our independence is auctioning our country’s natural resources to the benefit of the few and the detriment of the many. As we celebrate our Independence Day, one is reminded of the unfair distribution of resources which characterised the colonial period. The publication of grand extortion and money laundering allegations by Aljazeera through the mini-documentary “Gold Mafia,” has left citizens in awe. It is evident that the ideals of the liberation struggle of equitable distribution of natural resources remain a fallacy. If left unresolved, the current minerals and natural resources-related conflicts, including Chilonga evictions, Mutoko black granite, Chiadzwa diamond conflicts and the infamous mashurungwi, will likely deteriorate beyond control. Repression, displacements and neglect of natural resource-rich local communities require proactive and urgent interventions from the government to curb violence and social unrest.
The NTJWG calls on the government of Zimbabwe to respect our Independence Day, the war of liberation, liberation war heroes and the generality of Zimbabweans by:
- Upholding the ideals of the liberation struggle, particularly peace, unity and equality, by respecting the human rights of all people through ending impunity and providing justice and compensation for victims of state-instigated human rights violations.
- Respecting the will of the people for national healing and reconciliation through empowering the NPRC to discharge its mandate, and holding perpetrators accountable, to demonstrate the State’s commitment to ensure national healing and reconciliation.
- Taking a serious stance against corruption and misappropriation of natural resources bearing in mind the importance of the equitable distribution of resources as one of our nation’s founding principles.