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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
President Mnangagwa has gazetted a proclamation establishing the Commission of Inquiry into the violence that took place on August 1 following the harmonised elections held on July 30.

The President made the proclamation under Proclamation 6 of 2018 contained in Statutory Instrument 181 of 2018 and published in yesterday’s Government Gazette.

The Commission chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has already been sworn-in to commence their work as required by the Constitution.

According to yesterday’s proclamation Mrs Virginia Mabhiza the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs will be secretary to the Commission. President Mnangagwa said the terms of reference for the Commission shall be as follows;

“(i) to inquire into the circumstances leading to the 1st August, 2018, post election violence; (ii) to identify the actors and their leaders, their motives and strategies employed in the protests (iii) to inquire into the intervention by the ZRP in the maintenance of law and order (iv) to investigate the circumstances which necessitated the involvement of the military in assisting in the maintenance of law and order (v) to consider whether the degree of force used was proportionate to the ensuing threat to public safety, law and order, (vii) to ascertain extent of damage or injury caused thereof, (vii) to investigate into any other matter, which the Commission of Inquiry may deem appropriate and relevant to the inquiry, (viii) to make suitable recommendations and (ix) to report to the President, in writing, the result of the inquiry within the period of three months from the date of swearing in of the Commission.”

He added that the Commission may hold the inquiry both in public or privately as they deem necessary.

Other members of the commission from outside the country are international law expert Mr Rodney Dixon QC from the United Kingdom, former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku from Nigeria and former Chief of Defence Forces of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces General (Retired) Davis Mwamunyange.

University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturers Professors Charity Manyeruke and Lovemore Madhuku and former president of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, complete the commission.