Complaints Handling and Investigations

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) is one of the Chapter 12 Independent Commissions established in terms of Sections 232 (b) and 242 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. It is operationalized by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act [Chapter 10:30]. The ZHRC has, in terms of Section 243 of the Constitution, a dual mandate, which includes promoting, protecting, and enforcing human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as protecting people from abuse of power and maladministration by State and public institutions and officers of those institutions.

The Complaints Handling and Investigation and Administrative Justice Department has two Units to carry out its functions in terms of section 243 (1) (d), (e), (f) and (g) of the Constitution. The Department is head by Director, Mrs Kurai Makumbe assisted by Deputy Director – Complaints Handling and Investigations, Ms S.S. Moyo and Deputy Director – Administrative Justice, Mr. T. Kanyimo.

The Complaints Handling and Investigations Unit plays a crucial role in receiving, investigating, and addressing human rights complaints from the public. The primary functions in section 243 (1) of the Constitution are to:

(d) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;

(f)  to investigate the conduct of any authority or person, where it is alleged that any of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights has been violated by that authority or person;

(g) to secure appropriate redress, including recommending the prosecution of offenders, where human rights or freedoms have been violated;

(h) to direct the Commissioner-General of Police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights or freedoms and to report to the Commission on the results of any such investigation.

(i) to recommend to Parliament effective measures to promote human rights and freedoms.

The Unit is responsible for receiving and considering complaints from the public, investigating the conduct of any authority or person who is alleged to have violated any of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights and securing appropriate redress, where human rights or freedoms have been violated.

Examples of cases that the Unit handles include cases

• Equality and non-discrimination especially on the grounds of political affiliation.
• Election violence and intimidation
• Arbitrary Evictions
• Freedom of movement, association and assembly
• Right to health care
• Children’s rights
• freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment
• right to food and water
• rights of arrested and detained persons

• Any person acting in his or her own interest
• Any person acting on behalf of another who cannot act in his or her own name such as a lawyer for their client, a parent or guardian on behalf of a minor.
• Any person acting as a member of or in the interests of a group or class of persons or an association acting in the interests of its members.

A complaint can be lodged by:

• Physically visiting any of the ZHRC offices indicated below
• Hotline phone through SMS, WhatsApp or email
• ZHRC website or other social media platforms