AMNESTY International (AI) secretary general Irene Khan says the Minister of Defence, Emmerson Mnangagwa admitted the army's involvement in violence that left nearly 200 opposition supporters dead and thousands of others tortured and displaced.

The AI boss, who was in Zimbabwe on a week-long fact-finding mission, said Mnangagwa had openly admitted the army's involvement in the bloody run-off campaign period.

But she said Mnangagwa sought to downplay the army's involvement saying those involved in the attacks against civilians were individual members on leave.

"Mnangagwa, the Minister of Defence admitted that certain army elements had been involved in political violence but said these were the people who were on leave and were not actually in uniform that time," Khan said.

Khan said in her response to this, she told Mnangagwa that it did not matter whether the army officials behind the human rights violations were on duty or not because it is government's obligation to protect its citizens.

Khan said she also told the defence minister of the need for further investigations to bring members of the army behind last year's violence to justice.

"To this Mnangagwa said they would be a regular investigation and that if they were any issues the army was ready to deal with them, but we all know how this government-sanctioned internal investigations always end up."

Mnangagwa was however quick to deny ever discussing that issue.

"Yes, I met Khan but we never talked about that," Mnangagwa said.

The AI boss said other Zanu PF ministers she met justified last year's violent period.

"We found actually in (meetings with) various Zanu PF ministers, they were ready to acknowledge that political violence had taken place but went on to justify the violence and in some cases didn't feel the need to investigate and prosecute."

In her report, which she presented two weeks ago, Khan said the human rights situation in the country remained "precarious" and that her organisation was concerned about the lack of reform of security sectors.

"Persistent and serious human rights violations, combined with the failure to introduce reform of the police, army and security forces or address impunity and the lack of clear commitment on some parts of the government are real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe," Khan said.

Among the government ministers she met was Vice-President Joice Mujuru, the Minister of State in the President's Office Didymus Mutasa and the two home affairs ministers, Giles Mutsekwa and Kembo Mohadi.

BY OUR STAFF