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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has said it is prioritising the Gukurahundi issue and hearings on the disturbances will start next month as part of the national healing process.
The NPRC’s decision comes at a time when President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said debate on the Gukurahundi issue should have started a long time ago and resolution of some of the issues finalised back then.
In an interview during a stakeholders’ meeting in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province yesterday NPRC chairperson Retired Justice Sello Nare said the commission under its strategic plan will this year give priority to addressing the Gukurahundi issue which affected Matabeleland region and some parts of the Midlands Province.
“We are in Matabeleland South Province today to engage stakeholders and get their views in preparation for our visit to the communities where we will also hold hearings. We are conducting stakeholders meetings and an outreach programme throughout the country and we hope to be done first of week of May.
“From there we hope to start our hearings before end of May. During these hearings we will visit various communities in order to identify victims and those who were affected by Gukurahundi. We will conduct interviews and hear what the people have to say about what transpired and how they were affected. Before the visits, we will engage chiefs who will help us identify the victims and the hot spots where people are bleeding. We are mindful that this isn’t an easy task but we are prepared and it has to be done. The President has already opened the way for people to freely discuss Gukurahundi issues,” he said.
Rtd Justice Nare said the commission will work closely with provincial peace committees and various stakeholders in order to engage communities during the hearings.
He said during the visits to communities, the commission will also look into the issue of birth certificates.
“We have formulated our five-year strategic plan and for the year 2019 our main focus is Matabeleland South, North and Midlands Provinces. We will, however, deal with conflicts in other provinces as they arise but for now our focus in on Gukurahundi,” he said.
Rtd Justice Nare urged members of the public to talk freely about Gukurahundi and their experiences as it would help in the healing process.
Also speaking during the same meeting, NPRC commissioner and chairperson of the victim support gender and diversity committee, Netty Musanhu said after the hearings the commission will assess their findings and make appropriate recommendations.
Comm Musanhu said they had formulated four thematic committees: the healing and reconciliation committee; prevention and non-recurrence; victim support, gender and diversity as well as the research and knowledge management committees.
“Before formulating the strategic plan we went through all the information that we had gathered from all 10 provinces during consultative meetings. There were diverse issues of concern that were raised in different provinces. In Mashonaland Provinces they were concerned by violence which was recorded during elections,” she said.
“In Manicaland they are concerned by the issues of resources, in particular diamonds. In Masvingo people raised the issue of displacement when the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam was being built as well as electoral violence which was recorded in 2000. In Matabeleland Region the critical issue is Gukurahundi followed by under development.”
Stakeholders who spoke during the meeting said they wanted to be assured that victims who spoke about their experiences and suffering during Gukurahundi would not be victimised after they opened up. They also called for a convenient environment that would enable victims and those who were affected to open up on the matter.
In an interview with the national broadcaster ZBC ahead of this year’s 39th Independence Day celebrations which was aired on April 17, President Mnangagwa said people should be free to talk about Gukurahundi.
“The question of Gukurahundi, I don’t see anything wrong in debating it on television and in newspapers,” he said.
“Let us debate it. It was so open a debate and at the end of the day, we feared nothing. There was nothing to fear about that debate. Actually, it’s critical that we have that debate and as a result of that conversation we have created a matrix of implementation of ideas to deal with issues that were raised. Some of the issues could have been resolved a long time back. In my view, there is not a single issue that cannot be discussed and a way forward crafted.”—@DubeMatutu
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