Motlanthe report findings fail to bring justice

The establishment of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to probe rights abuses has failed to win public support, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has noted. It claims The Motlanthe Report – What's next for victims and the nation? finds that no justice has been served to the victims as the perpetrators have not been apprehended. ‘The initiative, regardless of its flaws, raised hopes of victims, families of victims, citizens and civil society organisations that the atrocities that were faced by civilians were going to be addressed,’ the association noted. It said despite the criticisms against how the commission conducted its assignment, ‘some of its recommendations are progressive in ensuring justice, creating conditions for peace, and public trust in public institutions and government’. ‘However, an analysis of the steps taken by the government to implement the recommendations of the commission reveals substantial non-compliance,’ ZimRights said. A report on the allAfrica site notes that the lobby group added that while the recommendations made by the commission were progressive in ensuring justice there is a large proportion of non-compliance of the recommendations. Legalbrief reports that the ZHRC, which was established as an independent institution under Chapter 12 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, was headed by former SA President Kgalema Motlanthe. Its mandate was to probe the post-2018 election violence that saw the death of six civilians.