By Donald Nyandoro A local non-governmental organization, Nation Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG), has expressed concern over the government’s failure to compensate victims and survivors of the August 1, 2018 post-election violence.
The post-election violence followed demonstrations over delays in the release of presidential, parliamentary and local government election results of the July 31, 2018 plebiscite, by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
But the government responded by deploying soldiers who fired live ammunition killing six unarmed civilians who were not even protesting but going about their business in the capital’s central business district.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa later appointed a Commission of Inquiry led by former South African President, Kgalema Motlanthe to investigate the case.
The Motlanthe-led Commission recommended that the government should compensate the families of the deceased and survivors. The commission also recommended electoral reforms, that the alleged perpetrators be brought to justice, enforcement of law and order to ensure non-recurrence, national healing and reconciliation.
Three years later, NTJW said, the government has not shown any commitment towards fulfilling recommendations. “Information received from the victims, their families and their legal representatives shows that they were not contacted and still have not been compensated to date,” the statement said.
The NGO added: “Government should prosecute perpetrators of the violence through the National Prosecuting Authority and compensate the victims and survivors of the violence. The state’s continued failure to implement the recommendations made by the Motlanthe commission only serves to encourage human rights violations, violence and impunity.”
