BY KENNETH NYANGANI THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) yesterday said it lacked material and financial resources to fully investigate human rights abuses.
This was revealed by ZHRC officer Tinashe Makuyana at the ongoing Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) gender symposium workshop in the capital.
Addressing the meeting, Makuyana said there was need for collective effort by government and civil society organisations, among other stakeholders, to address human rights’ abuses.
“Our operations are limited by limited resources. For us to be also effective we need resources it is a fact,” he said
“If we have challenges, if we raise them collectively we can achieve our objective. We have always been expected to be independent, and we are doing well on that issue.”
Makuyana expressed concern over reports of increasing cases of human rights violations as the country heads towards the 2023 polls.
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“We have many cases we are investigating. We should have the powers, just like that of a court order, to ensure the implementation of our recommendations after the investigations,” he said.
Addressing the same meeting, CNRG director Farai Maguwu said Zimbabweans deserved peace and to have their rights respected.
“We would like to say that we are hoping for such a crucial meeting and we would want to have a peaceful country,” Maguwu said.
Zimbabwe has a dark human rights record dating back to the 1980s.
Elections have often been marred by violence.
In August 2018, soldiers opened fire during post-election protests, killing six civilians.
During the January 14-16, 2019 anti-fuel price hike protests, soldiers again opened fire on protesters, killing 17 people, according to civic society organisations.
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