Chiefs to unveil detailed Gukurahundi hearings programme

CHIEFS will soon unveil a detailed programme for the victim-centred Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme launched by President Mnangagwa in Bulawayo on Sunday.

The programme, a home-grown solution to national issues, aims to complement the 1987 Unity Accord that united Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu, bringing peace to the country.

During the launch, chiefs expressed confidence that the outreach programme will yield the desired results.
National Council of Chiefs president Chief Mtshane Khumalo yesterday said traditional leaders have started working on a roll-out plan that will guide their engagements with communities.

“We will soon be approaching the media to update them on how and when we are going to start the community hearing exercise. We are working closely with the Government which is going to provide vehicles for the commencement of the exercise,” he said.

“Some vehicles have been procured and we are expecting additional ones for each chief. We have a Command Centre that has to be established where we will be storing all the witness testimonies obtained during the engagement processes.”

Chief Mtshane Khumalo said after every community engagement, chiefs will deliver data to the Command Centre which will be located in Bulawayo.

The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme is widely supported, with various stakeholders saying the programme is a testament to the Second Republic’s commitment to addressing the post-independence conflict.

Zanu-PF Secretary General Dr Obert Mpofu said the ruling party supports the chiefs-led programme to resolve the 1980s conflict.

“President Cde ED Mnangagwa has held the bull by its horns by addressing this issue openly through liaison with stakeholders that are involved in this initiative. We support this initiative as the leaders from the region because it is the only way that can bring our people together,” he said.

Dr Mpofu endorsed the initiative for its potential to unite the people, following the footsteps of the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo and the late former President Robert Mugabe.

“So, this initiative is just a follow-up and a necessary development that seeks to unite our people since the 1987 Unity Accord,” he said.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said while chiefs will soon start conducting the community hearings, his ministry had already started addressing the Gukurahundi legacy issues.

“If you remember very well, we were given a directive about two years ago by the President to go out on a mobile registration exercise for national documents. That mobile registration exercise also included those who were affected by Gukurahundi,” he said.

“Chief Mtshane Khumalo even confirmed that we have been working very well with them, ensuring that no one is left behind.”

Minister Kazembe said as chiefs start the outreach programme, the Civil Registry Department will work closely with them to ensure that those who require assistance are attended to.

He said under the Second Republic no one should be rendered stateless due to failure to access national identity documents.

“So, it is an exercise that has been going on and we have been active on the ground as we try to cover every affected area. However, it is still a work in progress and we are working closely with the panellists who have been selected and chiefs to identify areas where people are not documented,” said Minister Kazembe.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson, Ms Jessie Majome hailed the Gukurahundi Community Outreach programme, saying it will allow for truth-telling and eventual redress of the post-independence conflict.
“This programme is a positive step in recognising the human rights of Zimbabweans. The programme seeks to address the past violations and atrocities which were a human rights violation,” she said.

“Reaching out to communities through the agency of traditional leadership is a clear and practical attempt of first truth-telling for those who were affected and secondly, eventually, to create a platform for redressing the issues.”

Ms Majome said it is important that women are part of the Gukurahundi chiefs’ panel saying they need a safe space to share their experiences as they were also Gukurahundi victims.

“There is a notable effort that the panel comprises women. It is important to note that women suffered violations during Gukurahundi. So, it will give a better level of comfort for them to speak out in a panel that has women,” she said.

“I also hope that there will be confidential sessions which will enable women to privately share their experiences.”
Ms Majome said she hoped that the community hearings would contribute to the issue of Gukurahundi to be a public discourse.

She urged Government to reconsider resuscitating the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to handle the Gukurahundi issue and any other conflicts that happened before 2009 while her commission focuses on the future.

NPRC was disbanded at the end of its 10-year term which ended last year. Traditional healer, Mr David Nduna Mlilo acknowledged the need for spiritual healing among those affected by Gukurahundi and encouraged the public to use the outreach programme for closure.

“We have had to deal with so many people who have come to us seeking spiritual cleansing as they were affected by Gukurahundi. So, the public should take advantage of the community engagement programme and get closure,” he said. — @nqotshili.