Zimbabwe: Can Zimbabwe’s Independent Complaints Commission Win Civil Society Over?

The new commission is a step in the right direction for security sector reform, but faces several tough challenges.

Since gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has grappled with an unaccountable and secretive security sector tarnished by decades of human rights violations. The new Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC) provides a valuable opportunity to break a history of mistrust and antagonism between security forces and civil society.

Zimbabwe’s government has traditionally resisted…