Chronicle Editor
Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has guaranteed confidentiality to victims of past violence as it embarks on its mandate of national healing.
The commission in its five-year strategic plan running from 2018 to 2022 launched last week said its vision is to create a peaceful Zimbabwe for all generations. It said its operations will be guided by five values: confidentiality, inclusivity, ubuntu, transparency and victim-centredness.
“Confidentiality; ensuring trust, respect and protection of the information and documents entrusted to the NPRC by victims of violence. This is in respect to the victims’ dignity and recognition of the need to redress the past and ensure a sustained peace.
“Inclusivity; serving and encompassing Zimbabwean citizens with special recognition of the marginalised groups including women, youth and people with disabilities,” reads the strategic document.
The commission said it will also be guided by the spirit that embodied the essential human virtue, compassion and humanity.
“Transparency; a commitment towards openness, honesty and accountability in the duties and responsibilities of the NPRC to the citizens of Zimbabwe.
Victim centred; providing support and opportunities and empowering affected individual and communities as engaged participants in the peace and reconciliation process,” said the NPRC in the strategic plan.
It said its five-year plan involves four areas of work: to initiate inclusive healing, to facilitate the enhancement of policy framework, strengthening the peace architecture as a catalyst for conflict prevention and transformation and enhancing national capacity to peace and reconciliation.
“This strategic plan provides the vehicle through which the NPRC will deliver its mandate for the next five years. It is a framework which responds to peace and reconciliation needs identified by Zimbabweans through stakeholder engagement and provincial consultation processes.
“This five-year strategic plan is therefore a collective wisdom of the people of Zimbabwe and provides a platform for unifying the nation towards sustainable peace by resolving violent conflict of the past and preventing their recurrence in the future,” said the commission in its strategic plan.
The commission said it will be fully discharging its mandate as a functional institution with the requisite human capital, partnerships, efficient systems and processes and adequate infrastructure by 2019.
Speaking at the launch of the strategic plan last week, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said the country should confront its problems as downplaying conflicts, most of which occur in rural areas, will haunt future generations.
He said traditional leaders as custodians of culture within communities are important opinion makers and cannot be ignored.
VP Mohadi said as the NPRC implements its strategic plan, the most important lesson to be borne in mind was that the shortest way to resolving problems was to confront them and not ignore them.
“We need to fully understand our realities as a nation because downplaying conflict challenges will be at the expense of future generations. Success on this journey is possible if we invest in local peace initiatives today and not tomorrow,” said VP Mohadi. — @AuxiliaK.
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