Gukurahundi: Chiefs to start community engagements

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
TRADITIONAL leaders in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces will start engaging their various communities next month amid calls for everyone to borrow a leaf from the Unity Accord and unite in bringing a final resolution to the matter.

This came out during the meeting of the National Council of Chiefs that was held in Bulawayo from Wednesday and ended yesterday.

Chiefs from the Matabeleland region and Midlands were mandated to handle the Gukurahundi issue following a series of meetings with President Mnangagwa.

The last meeting between the President and the chiefs was held at the State House in Bulawayo in September.

Due to their proximity to communities, it was resolved that the traditional leadership institution is a key stakeholder in handling problems affecting communities including the Gukurahundi matter.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic which has forced Government to restrict movement of people through lockdowns has largely hindered the traditional leaders from implementing resolutions that were made with the President.

Speaking at the end of the closed door meeting yesterday, president of the National Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira said they had initially intended to also engage various stakeholders from the three provinces but had to call off the engagement due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases being experienced in the country.

Chief Charumbira said their intention was now to start all the engagements, inclusive of the community consultations by January so as to once and for all bring the matter to its finality. “We had an opportunity to give feedback to the National Council of Chiefs on work done regarding the Gukurahundi issue and the next steps to be taken.

We had intended to meet stakeholders from the Matabeleland region to also give them feedback on this issue but had to call off this meeting because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are moving full gear in January with the rest of the processes so that in the New Year we see chiefs actively engaging with the victims. I must point out that there is a lot of excitement among the chiefs on all this progress and they are all raring to go,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said what excited chiefs the most was the genuineness and commitment shown by President Mnangagwa in bringing resolution to the matter, emphasizing the need for the traditional leaders to play a pivotal role in the whole issue.

“As you are aware, when we met with the President on this issue he was very receptive and accommodative, for example he said all those who lost relatives who were breadwinners and their pensions could not be processed because they did not have certain documentation, these documents should be issued with ease.

“The emphasis, however, was that to get the correct information this should be led by local chiefs in their areas of jurisdiction, the chiefs will talk to their own people and get those authentic cases, present them and then submit to Government,” said Chief Charumbira.

He revealed that to show the commitment the chiefs had to resolving the matter, they had already received submissions from traditional leaders in the region who are now waiting for the training and tools, to assist them in the engagement for them to start working.

Chief Charumbira said it was important that they were making headway in the Gukurahundi issue at a time when the country was commemorating its 34th anniversary of the signing of the Unity Accord noting that people should borrow a leaf from this and realise the importance of uniting the nation.

“The Unity Accord represents people coming together, the current progress that has been made in bringing finality to the Gukurahundi issue, is clear testimony to the President’s commitment to bringing a peaceful environment

“It is also a clear testimony about being genuine towards the goal of uniting and developing the nation, we should now all unite and push this issue of resolving the Gukurahundi issue. There must be a demonstration that the Government and the President are very genuine,” said Chief Charumbira.

In September, President Mnangagwa met the National Council of Chiefs at State House in Bulawayo, where among other things, each chief was tasked to resolve issues within their area of jurisdiction by consulting with local communities on their needs and expectations.

The Government will then provide resources to implement the plans to be led by traditional leaders.

The meeting came after a number of meetings have been held by the President with various stakeholders with the aim of finding a lasting resolution to the Gukurahundi issue.