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The unfinished business of national healing in Zimbabwe and the implication on free and fair elections
Heal Zimbabwe
March 01, 2011

Individuals, families, communities in Zimbabwe and the broader nation of Zimbabwe within and outside the confines of the country's physical boundaries have been traumatized by the pre and post independent political conflicts. All the post independent conflicts were caused by a Government or its agents who have subjected to intense torture civilians for carrying a differing political opinion. The failure by the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation to spearhead the national healing process has dampened the letter and spirit of the Inclusive Government. The unprecedented cases of political violence in 2008 are some of the major reasons for the formation the marriage of convenience (GNU) but it boggles the mind of many that soon after the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation was officiated it quickly forgot its terms of reference of coming up with a strategies towards peace and reconciliation in Zimbabwe. Nothing tangible has been done by the compromised organ to reflect a country in a healing process. The continued reports of increased cases of political violence and the quietness of the organ has made the situation worse. Calling for elections without attempting to deal with past cases of political violence is a non starter considering the perpetrators are still roaming around scot free.

There has been an unprecedented level of violence in the country whenever elections are to be held. Zimbabwe has historically been involved in election violence ever since 1980 with reported cases of mass massacres in Matabeleland. The early 1990's were a bit calm, however there was an escalation of violence at the turn of the new millennium with the coming in of a formidable opposition which threatened the then ruling party's grip on power. Starting with the violent and chaotic land redistribution exercise in 2000, ZANU PF embarked on an intimidating and threatening exercise to civilians and ever since 2000 a lot of people have lost their lives, limbs and sources of livelihoods.

The national healing process has been stalled from the start save for the swearing in of the responsible Ministers nothing else has been done to ensure that there is healing and forgiveness amongst communities. The silence on the part of the Organ on national healing on the violence recorded recently in Harare specifically in Mbare, Epworth and Budiriro is a cause for concern to many and it only serves to highlight the shortcomings of leaving politicians to lead such a delicate process as national healing. For an effective genuine national healing process, an independent commission comprised of people of high moral standing in the community should be given the mandate to spearhead the process. The country can only talk of transparent free and fair elections only when genuine truth telling, justice and forgiveness take place. Lessons can be drawn from the South African model of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was chaired by Archbishop Tutu bears testimony to how a process led sincerely by people of good standing in community can bring about the much needed healing in the country.

The failure by the current leadership in the Organ for National Healing can best be described as a failure to live up to expectations, it boggles the mind as to how the G.N.U. leadership thought that this process of national healing could be led properly by people who have been perpetrators as well as victims of the past violence. The issue of balancing the expectations of the victim and fear of the perpetrator cannot be overemphasized and cannot be expected to be dealt with by people who cannot agree even on small simple issues. The National Healing process can never be an event but a process which requires sincerity from all parties involved, by just applying cosmetic remedies in the form of flamboyant workshops and distributing shoes "shoes for peace" will not do the nation any good, the bleeding wounds of victims of previous violence will not heal until such a time when proper national healing begins which seeks to restore community, peace, trust and unity.

Any talk of any elections has resulted in the unleashing of violence in this country and 2011 will not be any different. It has become synonymous that any call for elections has resulted in intense violence unleashed upon the people of Zimbabwe. Militarization of villages has continued unabated in the rural areas under the guise of operation Maguta yet the main reason for the deployment of such military personnel has been to harass and intimidate people into voting for a certain political party. All this intimidation will result in voter apathy and the will of the people will not reflect in the coming elections.

What is urgently needed in the country at the moment is bringing in voter confidence by putting into place mechanism that give the people of Zimbabwe hope that a call for elections is not going to be a declaration of war on the people of Zimbabwe . This will help to avoid voter apathy and will lead to the election of a Government that is credible and legitimate and possibly do away with the challenges facing the nation. The ordinary civilians have suffered enough all in the name of elections and we call upon the G.N.U. leadership to show a humane face by not rushing into any election which will make blood flow in the streets and villages of Zimbabwe and whose outcome will most probably be questioned and challenged.

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