'Release findings or lose credibility'

Many people have implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stick to his earlier under-taking to publish the findings of the probe that looked into the August 1 post-election killings in Harare.

This comes after George Charamba presidential spokesperson said Mnangagwa had no obligation to make public the findings.

Lawyers, human rights groups and opposition parties have expressed fears that the report by the commission of inquiry into the post-election violence in which the military allegedly killed six civilians will never be made public after Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said the report was meant for President Emmerson Mnangagwa's eyes "only".

Charamba was quoted by the State-controlled media on Monday saying Mnangagwa had the discretion to make the report public or not, but experts said such utterances defeat the constitutional spirit of transparency and accountability.

In September, Mnangagwa appointed a seven-member commission, led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe to probe the killings.

The commission concluded its hearings last week and gave Mnangagwa an executive summary of its findings last Thursday while a full report will be presented ‘before December 19.'

The seven-member Commission of Inquiry into the post-election violence that claimed six lives and left property worth millions dollars destroyed in Harare has scoffed at its critics and defended the conclusion of the probe two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Commission, chaired by former South African president Mr Kgalema Motlanthe, submitted an executive summary of the report to President Mnangagwa on Thursday last week. It was appointed on August 29 and given three months to produce the final report.

The Commission had three months to make its findings and submit its report to the appointing authority, President Mnangagwa.