Journal of Global Peace and Conflict

Reconciliation in Zimbabwe: Where, When and How?
Dorothy Goredema, Percyslage Chigora, Qinisani Phambili Bhebe

Abstract
The study seeks to interrogate the practicality of transitional justice and reconciliation in Zimbabwe. The study seeks to answer the questions where, when and how should reconciliation take place in Zimbabwe. The research will also interrogate historical events in Zimbabwe where the concept of reconciliation should have been applied. To that effect ,the where question seeks to identify areas of economic subjugation, political persecution and other forms of human rights abuse where the policy of reconciliation should be applied. To the question when, the researchers will revisit historical events and not confine themselves to prescribed times reconciliation is recommended to cover. To the question how, the researchers will use desktop review in which there will be extensive use of literature from different scholars who have contributed to the debate on reconciliation. Interviews with politicians, victims of political and electoral violence, war veterans, chiefs, church leaders, civil society officials and the general public were conducted. This was aimed at gathering wider views and perceptions concerning the debate on justice and reconciliation in Zimbabwe. Information gathered from these informants was valuable in the writing of this paper. The sensitivity of the topic under discussion led some of our informants to request anonymity in the writing of the paper. Guided by research ethics, the researchers have granted anonymity to those informants who requested it.

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