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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said his Government is committed to bringing the emotive Gukurahundi issue to finality.
Two weeks ago, the President signed into law the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill (NPRC) which he said will be key in putting the matter to rest.
During an interview on Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland where he is attending the World Economic Forum, the President said the Peace and Reconciliation Commission will proffer recommendations to Government on how the matter should be handled.
He said his Government will not ignore the issue hence he has assigned Vice President Kembo Mohadi to be in charge of the peace and reconciliation portfolio.
“We are not saying the past must be thrown away from history, it has happened, it is there. Currently, just a week ago I signed a bill NPRC Bill. I have signed it into an Act and I’ve assigned one of my Vice Presidents to deal with that one,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said he believes he has put up a good team to address the issue.
“In my view, there is nothing more than me putting a legislation where a commission headed by a Vice President and most eminent persons in Zimbabwe to deal with that issue and make recommendations,” said President Mnangagwa. He said the Commission will engage affected communities before making recommendations to Government on how the issue can be addressed.
President Mnangagwa said he is prepared to appear before affected communities if they invite him to discuss the matter.
The President revealed that he has already engaged traditional leaders from Matabeleland on the matter.
“Let me assure you, just recently I had a meeting with chiefs from Matabeleland region, discussing with them because I feel there is that bad patch in our history. We would want to correct it. We would want to say wherever wrong was committed we must say the Government of the day must apologise,” said the President.
“Wherever a community had suffered any injury if it is possible to have that injury repaired we do it. As a community, as traditional leaders, as a Government we have agreed on how to deal with that issue.”
President Mnangagwa said his focus now was on uniting the country saying the past should not hinder citizens from creating a better Zimbabwe.
“The most important thing is that what has happened has happened. What can we do about the past? We have put up a commission to deal with that issue that should not stop us to have a better future. All the communities should be united, cooperate and love each other, should work together this is message that we have. We are more worried now about how in the future we should have a united Zimbabwe,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said his Government and local people were determined to find lasting solutions on the bad patch on Zimbabwe’s history. — @nqotshili.
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