Chronicle Editor
Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has acted on his meeting with the Matabeleland Collective a few weeks ago in a confirmation of his commitment to healing in the country towards his vision of collective prosperity.
Yesterday, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza announced that the Government was in the process of implementing a raft of measures towards ensuring healing among victims of Gukurahundi.
Among the measures announced by Mrs Mabhiza, is the issuance of birth certificates to victims affected by Gukurahundi and the death certificates for those who died during the period.
She also said the Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs will facilitate the exhumation and burial of victims of Gukurahundi while medical assistance will be availed for those injured during the time.
Mrs Mabhiza also touched on the Government’s efforts in implementing devolution and outstanding developmental programmes in Matabeleland region.
The response by the Government a few weeks after he met the representatives of the Matabeleland Collective at State House in Bulawayo is confirmation of his sincerity on vision for collective engagement for inclusive development.
In his inauguration speech in 2017 to finish the term of former President Mr Robert Mugabe and in the run up to the 2018 harmonised elections that he and his party won, President Mnangagwa expressed his vision for a united Zimbabwe bound by a common vision of emancipation and equal opportunities.
Addressing the State House meeting, President Mnangagwa said he had come to the meeting with an open mind to listen to the issues raised by the representatives of the respective organisations.
“I came here with an open mind to listen and I am satisfied that I made the correct decision because non-interaction creates fear, suspicion where there ought to be no fear, where there ought to be no suspicion at all.
“I go back today knowing that the social groups, non-governmental organisations, civic organisations have their country at heart. We have different perspectives on the issues that affect our different communities where we stay or where we operate, not to make things worse but to make things better,” said President Mnangagwa.
“What the Government would not want to hear are persons who would not want to make things better. I think we had heads in the sand, our heads are out now, I’m afraid you may begin to run away from us when we look for you,” he chuckled.
For many years, the Gukurahundi issue has been abused by selfish individuals and organisations who sought to use the emotive issue to line their pockets with donor money in the pretext that they were representing its victims.
It came as no surprise that after the President’s meeting with Matabeleland Collective at State House many Gukurahundi-preneurs were not happy accusing the local NGOs of selling out.
Opposition parties have also, to their convenience, harped on the Gukurahundi issue to whip up emotions from the people of Matabeleland so that they get their votes but were never sincere neither did they have any capacity in bringing closure on the matter.
It is for the same reason that the meeting between President Mnangagwa and Matabeleland Collective left the opposition, particularly the MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa in sixes and sevens as they have been robbed once again of campaign fodder.
The meeting also sent shock waves in some embassies of some countries not keen in seeing Zimbabwe moving forward as a united nation.
There are some disgraced politicians who also sought to abuse the Gukurahundi issue as and when it served their interests.
More significantly however, the meeting between President Mnangagwa and the Matabeleland Collective saw a dramatic shift in the politics between the State and civil society.
In the old dispensation, the relationship between civil society and the State was frosty and characterised by mistrust .
The civil society on its part, associated with the opposition to the point of appendages of the opposition.
The relationship between the civil society and the opposition saw the emergence of politicians crossing over to the MDC then led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai with some organisations reportedly seeking funding on behalf of the party.
The new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa marked a turning point between NGOs and the State with the Matabeleland Collective, becoming the first collective group of NGOs seeking dialogue with the President towards prosperity.
The change in stance by the civil society was best captured by Jenni Williams, an official at the Matabeleland Collective after the meeting when she said, ““I think this is God’s blessing on Zimbabwe. I think we should realise as Christians that this is a time for us to talk, a time for us to come together, a time for us to realise that if this horrible economy where there is such suffering is to be fixed, it will be fixed by all of us together.
“It is now time to realise that what divides us must be put aside and let’s concentrate on what unites us.”
The engagement between President Mnangagwa and the Matabeleland Collective proved that President Mnangagwa is not grand standing when he says he is a listening President and his response to the meeting is testimony that he not only listens but also acts.
And in his words on the day of the meeting, President Mnangagwa said, “…most importantly, let me congratulate the Matabeleland Collective for initiating and beginning this process which of course other sectors and sections of our community are going to follow but you are the leaders. I congratulate you and I say thank you.”
For the nay sayers, the doubters, Gukurahundi-preneurs and all negative forces who thought the meeting between the President and Matabeleland Collective would not yield anything, yesterday proved their predictions/wishes wrong.
The country is moving forward in unity and inclusivity towards the turnaround of the economy.
Online Reporter