Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

Date: Saturday 16 May 2009
Venue: Bulawayo Agenda Conference Room
Number of participants: 30
Time: 8:30 – 2:00 

Introduction
The Bulawayo workshop which was the third after Mashonaland Central and Midlands, aimed at achieving the following objectives. These are being implemented  as a resolution at the board meeting in April 2009 and the strategic meeting held in September 2008 in Harare Quality International Hotel. 

Aims and objectives of the workshops
·         Structure building and consolidation at provincial level.
·         Popularise ROHR activities and get people’s expectations.
·         Inform, mobilise, motivate, inspire, empower, strengthen and develop ROHR members in all provinces of Zimbabwe to defend, promote and claim their fundamental freedoms, justice and both their constitutional and democratic rights.
·         Consultation on the issue of national healing and reconciliation. 

Issues covered/Agenda. Overall chairman: Earnest Masongela.
1.       Opening remarks – Bulawayo former Chairperson, Hon Reggie Moyo
2.       Introductions – Bulawayo Field Officer, Mr C Nkala
3.       Structuring – National Chairman, Mr R Muzenda
4.       What is ROHR – structure, vision, mission, activities, mandate, expectations & the position on GNU – National Chairman, Mr Ray Muzenda
5.       The human rights situation in Zimbabwe                                                          
6.       The constitutional making process                                                                 
7.       Peoples expectations from ROHR Participatory                                               
8.       Way Forward(programs) – National Chairman, Mr R Muzenda
9.       Closing Remarks – Bulawayo Secretary, Mrs J Ncube  

The elected Provincial Coordinating Committee for Bulawayo province 
Chairman: Earnest Masongela (Makandeni-Entumbane)
Vice Chairperson: Michael Mlilo  (Lobengula)
Secretary: Josephine Ncube (Nkulumani)
Organiser: Lomana Tshakwanela (Pumula North)
Treasurer: Sibonile Ndlovu (Bulawayo South)
Information & publicity: Patricia Tshabalala, (Mpopoma)
Committee members
     - Women: Dorcas Nyoni (Pumula East), Regina Nsingo (Mpopoma), Madizrael Masuku (Nkulumani)
     - Youth: Desire Moyo (Nkulumani), Steven Lufeyo (Pumula)  

Resolutions from deliberations
·         Human rights education must be introduced in schools both secondary and primary.
·         The current arrangement of the GNU can not be trusted the ZANU PF which is leading is not yet repented from its evil deeds. Therefore this government cannot be entrusted with the process of National Healing especially when some of the perpetrators are leading the process such as John Landa Nkomo, the ZRP among others.
·         A democratic constitution to be written by the people of Zimbabwe themselves not parliament. The government’s responsibility is to facilitate the process not to lead.
·         Leadership training programmes and capacity building workshops to be intensified.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe to have Commemorations programmes such as Human Rights day.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe regalia to be produced and distributed extensively.
·         Constituency based programmes to be introduced such as road shows, public meetings etc.
·         Initiate orphans and widows viable projects and also to assist them with food stuffs, school fees, clothes, etc.

Achievements
·         A substantive provincial structure was elected.
·         All 12 constituencies were fairly represented with the gender and age issue addressed.
·         Time management was excellent.

Challenges
·         Budgetary constrains.
·         Unmet previous promises by the organisation.
·         The agenda was not addressed in totality e.g. the topic of National healing was addressed in passing due to fear of historic emotional attachments to this topic (Gukurahundi).
·         Some of the presenters and participants did not turn up due to other programmes of other organisations which were taking place in Bulawayo at the same time.

Recommendations
·         Finance programmes of this nature adequately.
·         Meet promises.

Overall rating
Successful

Conclusion
A lot has to be done in Matebeleland provinces to the extent of appointing even one person in the board. The organisation stands a very good opportunity of growing bigger and known in all four corner of Zimbabwe.   Prepared by Clifford HlatywayoProgrammes Director for the Programmes and Networking department

Date: Friday 15 May 2009
Venue: Gweru Baptist Church
Number of participants: 47
Time: 9:45 – 3:15 

Introduction
According to the resolution of the ROHR Zimbabwe’s Board meeting held in South Africa at Protea Balalaika Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg on the 2nd – 5th April 2009, through the office of the National Chairman and the Programmes and Networking department, ROHR Zimbabwe held a workshop in Gweru for its leaders in Midlands province. These were represented by three people per administrative district to give a general total of 24 people from 8 districts. In order to achieve our goals and as a networking strategy, we invited people representing different organisations in the civil society. The main event of the day was provincial structure building presided over by the National Chairman. National healing and reconciliation was also top on the agenda of the day.    

Aims and objectives of the workshops
·         Structure building and consolidation at provincial level.
·         Popularise ROHR activities and get people’s expectations.
·         Inform, mobilise, motivate, inspire, empower, strengthen and develop ROHR members in all provinces of Zimbabwe to defend, promote and claim their fundamental freedoms, justice and both their constitutional and democratic rights.
·         Consultation on the issue of National healing and reconciliation. 

Issues covered / Agenda. Overall chair: Programmes Director, Clifford Hlatywayo. 
1.       Opening remarks – Midlands Chairman, Mr G Ngazimbi
2.       Introductions – Midlands Secretary, Mr N Dzika
3.       Structuring – National Chairman, Mr Ray Muzenda
4.       What is ROHR – structure, vision, mission, activities, mandate, expectations –  National Chairman, Mr Ray Muzenda
5.       The human rights situation in Zimbabwe – Z=IMCET Representative, Mr M Sifelani
6.       National Healing and Reconciliation – truth, justice & compensation vs forgive & forget – NANGO Representative, Mr Denzel Mushayi
7.       The constitutional making process – NCA Representative, Mr Mumvana
8.       Peoples expectations from ROHR Participatory – Mr N Dzika
9.       Way Forward (programs) – National Chairman, Mr R Muzenda
10.   Closing Remarks – Midlands Representative, Mr G Ngazimbi  

Resolutions from deliberations
·         Domestication of international human rights treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on People and Human Rights.
·         People and the nation needs healing but this is not the right time since violence and human rights abuses are still prevalent in different areas e.g. farm invasions, unlawful arrests, killings, police brutality, no respect to the GPA and above all it is not the right government of the day for the people.
·         The National healing process must be victim centred not being led by the violators i.e. it must be bottom- top approach not top – bottom approach and it must  be all inclusive i.e. the church, civil society, the Diaspora, traditional leaders, government, victims, perpetrators etc.
·         The process of national healing must be as follows: People driven constitution - free, fair, peaceful & democratic elections - Government of the people, for the people by the people (legitimate government) - Truth - Justice - Compensation - Reconciliation - Forgive - Forget - National Integration.
·         No one has the right to write or make a constitution for us. The constitutional making process must be people driven not parliamentary driven. 
·         Depoliticisation and demilitarisation of state institutions such as GMB, NRZ, Sports and recreation commission,
·         Depoliticization of national youth training structures e.g. the Border Gezi.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe to intensify public education programs in rural areas e.g. grassroots workshops, road shows, public meetings.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe must launch information dissemination campaign targeting rural areas since that’s where human rights abuses area rampant, these must be through production of fliers, pamphlets, bandanas, T-Shirts, hats, posters, banners, audio and visual CDs on human rights issues.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe to push for the inclusion of women in constitutional making process and in championing human rights issues as a way of empowering them.
·         Rohr Zimbabwe must design programmes specifically for women and youth.
·         Elected structures to be supported by the head office.

Achievements
·         All eight administrative districts were fairly represented.
·         Gender and the youth issues were fairly represented from all districts.
·         The agenda was well covered in totality and the discussion was very live and interesting.
·         There was a mixture of presenters i.e. from other civic organisations and different age groups, old and the youth.
·         A substantive structure was elected and installed with a fair representation of the whole province.
·         Taking some video clips of victims of political violence since 2000.

Challenges
·         Serious and unnecessary interference in the Programmes department’s coordination efforts and responsibility by a certain department.
·         The time factor, we were supposed to start at 0800hrs and finish at 1400hrs. This led to the fast tracking of other vital issues that was left not exhorted in discussions.
·         Budgetary constrains i.e. the workshop was under financed which led to the disgruntlements of other individuals due to inadequate bus fares.
·         No Rohr Zimbabwe materials to be used in workshops.

Recommendations
·         The leadership of Rohr Zimbabwe should try to stick to the budget so as to reduce unnecessary pressure on the implementers.
·         The Programmes and  the Information and publicity department, develop information packs to be used in workshops and other programmes of this kind.
·         The leadership to clearly pronounce the demarcation lines of duties and responsibility as far as organisation’s projects is concern. The Programmes department is responsible for identifying, designing, coordinating, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and compiling reports on behalf of the organisation while the Administration and finance department is responsible for adequately resourcing the whole programme not coordinating and administering programmes. The Information department is responsible for marketing and publicising before and after the programme internally and externally.

Overall rating
Very successful

Conclusion
The department of Programmes and Networking is ready to coordinate and implement all the organisations plans, policies, programmes and projects. It is prepared to take any risky for the sake of promoting and defending the fundamental human freedoms and democratic rights of the people. As a department we believe in people’s power, mass participation and grassroots based approaches so as to achieve our vision of having a peaceful, just and free nation that is conscious of and respects human rights and this must be through the promotion of a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe through community mobilisation, capacity building and active responses to human rights challenges.  

Prepared by Clifford Hlatywayo
Programmes Director for the department of Programmes and Networking