Background

Source: Call for Nominations of Commissioners for the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission – The Zimbabwean

In light of the impending expiry of the terms of office of the National Peace of Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Commissioners on 23 February 2021 vacancies will arise within the Commission. Noting this, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders of the Parliament of Zimbabwe has put a call for public nominations for persons to serve as NPRC commissioners. The Committee is mandated to nominate persons for appointment by the President to serve as Commissioners on the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) in-terms of sections 237 and 251 of the Constitution. This is done after receiving nominations for consideration for appointment from the public.

Functions of the NPRC

The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission has the following functions:

1. to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation;
2. to develop and implement programmes to promote national healing, unity and cohesion in Zimbabwe and the peaceful resolution of disputes;
3. to bring about national reconciliation by encouraging people to tell the truth about the past and facilitating the making of amends and the provision of justice;
4. to develop procedures and institutions at a national level to facilitate dialogue among political parties, communities, organisations and other groups, in order to prevent conflicts and disputes arising in the future;
5. to develop programmes to ensure that persons subjected to persecution, torture and other forms of abuse receive rehabilitative treatment and support;
6. to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as the Commission considers appropriate;
7. to develop mechanisms for early detection of areas of potential conflicts and disputes, and to take appropriate preventive measures;
8. to do anything incidental to the prevention of conflict and the promotion of peace;
9. to conciliate and mediate disputes among communities, organisations, groups and individuals; and
10. to recommend legislation to ensure that assistance, including documentation, is rendered to persons affected by conflicts, pandemics or other circumstances.

Specifications

Commissioners of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission must be chosen for:

1. Their integrity; and
2. Their knowledge and understanding of, and experience in, mediation, conciliation, conflict prevention and management, post-conflict reconciliation or peace building.

Furthermore, the candidate should be:

• Apolitical;
• Of good social standing and
• Passionate and has a good track record in the promotion and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Procedure of submitting a nomination:

• A completed nomination form must be accompanied by the nominee’s comprehensive curriculum vitae, showing gender & date of birth, and a typewritten justification of the suitability of the nominee which must be no more than two A4 pages.
• Nominations must be addressed to the Clerk of Parliament in sealed envelopes clearly labelled “National Peace and Reconciliation Commission”. These may be emailed to hrvacancies@parlzim.gov.zw
• Alternatively, nominations may be posted or hand delivered to:

The Clerk of Parliament
Parliament of Zimbabwe
Parliament Building
Cnr. K. Nkurumah Avenue and Third Street
P.O. Box CY 298

Important information:

• The nomination form can be obtained from and submitted at Parliament Offices located at Nelson Mandela/ 3^rd Street, 3^rd Floor, Room 306 or Human Resources, 4^th Floor, Room 405.
• Alternatively, the nomination form can be downloaded through this link: www.parlzim.gov.zw.
• Closing date for the submission of nominations is: 4 December 2020 at 16:30hours.