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By Deleen Mushawatu
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Chairperson, Peter Mutasa said his organisation is working to ensure that justice is done to the victims of the August 2018 shooting.
An estimated six civilians were shot in cold blood in August 2018 following protests against the late announcement of the 2018 Presidential election results. About 35 civilians were injured as a result of the military action.
The events of August 2018 attracted widespread condemnation after which President Emmerson Mnangagwa instituted the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry to investigate the shootings and come up with recommendations for the government.
However, 4 years down the line, the Zimbabwean government has come under fire for its failure to implement recommendations from the Commission which include compensation for the victims, holding perpetrators to account, instituting security sector and electoral reforms, and promoting political tolerance, reconciliation, and nation building through an inclusive national dialogue framework.
Speaking during a discussion forum hosted by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition in Harare yesterday, Mutasa bemoaned the lack of political will by the government of Zimbabwe to implement recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry.
“The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has engaged victims of the August 1, 2018 shootings and relatives of the deceased and it came out during the engagements that there is a lack of political will by the government to implement the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry recommendations. In light of this challenge, we have also engaged His Excellency, Kgalema Motlanthe raising our concern over the stance of the Zimbabwean government. At a local level, we have also engaged locals who were part of the Motlanthe commission of Inquiry,” said Mutasa.
Mutasa implored the government of Zimbabwe to take action to ensure justice following the August 2018 shootings.
“The government of Zimbabwe must implement the recommendations of the commission of inquiry which include compensation of the victims, holding perpetrators to account as well as instituting security sector reforms,’’ said Mutasa.
He added that “there must be a collective way forward as it is a national crisis and not only a crisis for the affected families”.
