Joshua Nkomo on Transitional Justice in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This chapter by Everisto Benyera departs from the prevalent reading of Nkomo in terms of power politics and nationalism by introducing a new reading of Nkomo’s contribution to nation building from the perspective of transitional justice and politics of national healing. He excavates Nkomo’s views on transitional justice that are contra to those of the government he served as he opposed such statist mechanisms as amnesties, indemnities and pardons in favour of truth telling, reparations, accountability, memorialisation and indeed institutional reforms. Benyera points that Nkomo was cognisant of the need to seek accountability for human rights abuses, especially in the Matabeleland and Midlands Provinces in post-independence Zimbabwe but was not able to convince new ZANU-PF on the need of such a trajectory.