By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
For decades, the call for reparations from Britain has echoed through Zimbabwe’s political discourse—a moral and historical demand for justice rooted in colonial-era injustices.
Now, that call has wheels.
On Monday, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works handed over 165 vehicles and technical equipment in Harare, marking a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s reparations agenda.
Among the fleet were vehicles designated specifically for the newly created Department of Reparations, housed under the traditional leadership support unit.
“This is a special mandate that we should claim from the British or from our colonisers, that which they planted from us,” said Hon. Minister Daniel Garwe during the handover ceremony. “These are the vehicles that are going to be used by those teams to carry out that special mandate.”
The announcement sent ripples through the gathered crowd. For the first time, the reparations agenda has tangible machinery—literally—to back its ambitions.
The Department of Reparations, a relatively new arm of the Ministry, has been tasked with pursuing claims against Britain for colonial-era injustices, including land dispossession, forced labour, and the destruction of traditional governance systems.
But until now, the department has operated largely from offices, without the mobility needed to reach communities most affected by colonial policies. The vehicle handover changes that.
Minister Garwe was explicit about the purpose: these vehicles are not for headquarters bureaucrats. They are for the teams on the ground—traditional leaders, researchers, and community engagement officers who must travel to every corner of the country to document claims, consult with affected communities, and build the case for reparations.
“We have put more emphasis on the 60 rural district councils, which is where the bulk of the work needs to be done,” Minister Garwe said. “No district is going to be left behind.”
It is a clear signal that the government is moving from talk to action—and that the reparations agenda is no longer a distant political promise but an operational priority.
Traditional Leadership at the Forefront
At the heart of the reparations drive is Zimbabwe’s traditional leadership system. Chiefs, headmen, and village elders are the custodians of oral history, the keepers of land records, and the voices of communities that suffered colonial dispossession.
The vehicles will enable traditional leaders to work more closely with the Department of Reparations, facilitating community consultations, evidence gathering, and awareness campaigns.
For years, traditional leaders have called for tangible support to carry out their duties. Now, that support is arriving—not just in words, but in the form of reliable transport that can navigate Zimbabwe’s rural terrain.
Minister Garwe framed the vehicle handover within the broader context of empowering traditional institutions: “These are the teams that are going to be using these vehicles to carry out that special mandate.”
The Road to Justice
The reparations journey is far from over. Diplomatic negotiations with Britain remain complex, and legal frameworks are still being developed. But the vehicle handover represents a critical step forward—one that signals intent, builds momentum, and demonstrates that the government is serious about pursuing justice.
For communities that have long felt forgotten, the arrival of these vehicles carries symbolic weight. It says: your stories matter. Your grievances are heard. And we are coming to you.
“It’s been a long road,” one traditional leader told this publication on condition of anonymity. “Now we have the tools to walk it.”
Minister Garwe also noted that the vehicles were acquired through a combination of government resources and partnerships, including contributions from drug-related asset recovery programmes.
“This is what we’re going to be doing with these vehicles,” he said. “But also, more importantly, we have our newest department—the Department of Reparations—which falls under our traditional leadership support unit.”
The distribution model itself is noteworthy: vehicles are being sent directly to districts, not to head offices. It is a deliberate strategy to ensure that resources reach the communities that need them most.
Garwe called it a precedent: “I want to take this as a precedent. Yes, we’ve made it a success now that the Minister has been capacitated through the Minister of Finance. They’ve given us the resources to be able to acquire some of these vehicles.”
With vehicles now in place, the Department of Reparations is expected to ramp up its activities in the coming months.
Community engagement sessions, evidence-gathering missions, and consultations with traditional leaders are likely to intensify.
For the communities affected by colonial injustices, the handover is a moment of hope. It signals that the government is not just talking about reparations—it is actively preparing to deliver.
As Minister Garwe put it: “We must develop our country. We must put in place the resources that are required to ensure that the expectations of each and every candidate are realised.”
The journey to justice has begun. And now, it has wheels.
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