Political Analyst Queries Motlanthe Commission's "Hurried" Completion Of August 1 Shootings Report

Piers Pigou, a senior consultant at the Crisis International Group criticised the submission of the inquiry’s executive summary to President Mnangagwa by the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry saying it suggests the report was “hurriedly” done.

He said it appears a lot of evidence was not looked at. He also questioned why Mnangagwa and former Defence Minister Constantino Chiwenga were not summoned to appear before the Commission. Said Pigou:

The haste with which this report is being pushed through and the evidence analysed for a final report ahead of a very tight timeline raises a number of concerns about both the process and the product that the commission is producing. It’s all highly problematic. The commission, as far as I am concerned, had up to the middle of December to complete its report. We saw it this week refusing to take evidence of individuals appearing before it because the cut-off date had already been reached. As far as I am concerned … it also appears as if there is a lot of evidence that has not been looked at…We also saw no independent investigating capacity of the commission to check, verify or corroborate aspects of the testimonies put in front of it.

But University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said while the commission of inquiry appeared to have rushed its job, they could have compiled the report while collecting evidence.

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