THE Government will next month start exhuming and burying
bodies of victims of the post-independence disturbances commonly referred to as
Gukurahundi, among a host of initiatives meant to address the issue and promote
national healing.
In addition, the Government will also start issuing birth
certificates to children of some of the people who were killed during the
disturbances and have been failing to get the documents and death certificates
of those who died. The recommendations were part of a high level third meeting
between President Mnangagwa and civil society groups under the banner of
Matabeleland Collective at State House in Bulawayo yesterday.
Matabeleland Collective is a grouping of non-governmental
organisations, faith-based organisations, community-based organisations,
trusts, savings clubs and social movements from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North
and Matabeleland South.
Since he came to power, President Mnangagwa has lived to
his promise to address and openly discuss issues and challenges surrounding the
unrest that happened in the 1980s in order to promote national healing and
development.
The President had previously held a meeting with chiefs
from the Matabeleland region on the same issue as part of efforts of holding
robust discussions with Matabeleland civic groups and traditional leaders
stressing the need for national cohesion and collective efforts in taking the
country forward.
Emerging from the State House meeting yesterday, Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services,
Mr Nick Mangwana revealed that one of the major outcomes of the meeting was
that next month Government will work on rolling out the various agreed on
projects to address the challenges faced by Gukurahundi victims.
“Today (yesterday), the issues that were discussed were the
issuance of birth and death certificates to victims of Gukurahundi, exhumation
of victims of Gukurahundi, Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, corruption in
rural district councils, youth empowerment and increased participation of women
in Government and Parliament.
“From these the outcome was that there will be a rollout in
September which is going to involve the chiefs, the National Peace and
Reconciliation Commission, Matabeleland Collective and Government. This rollout
is basically the implementation of these programmes for the Gukurahundi
victims,” said Mr Mangwana.
Chairperson of the Matabeleland Collective, Ms Jenni
Williams said they were happy that finally what was initially a draft proposal
on paper will now be operationalised and help bring closure to Gukurahundi
victims.
“This meeting was called so that we discuss the
implementation matrix of our programme to address the challenges of the victims
which include issues to do with exhumation and issuance of birth and death
certificates. We are ecstatic that the President has reaffirmed his commitment
to these programmes as we start implementing them. I must therefore assure
people in the various communities that we will now be coming to them to both
engage and implement these programmes,” said Ms Williams.
These developments are in line with the new dispensation’s
thrust of collective engagement towards development as members of the
Matabeleland Collective have been previously hostile towards the Government. In
his previous meetings, President Mnangagwa has hailed the interaction which he
described as the first of its kind in terms of social dialogue.
Also present at yesterday’s meeting were Cabinet Ministers,
Kazembe Kazembe of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, July Moyo of Local
Government and Public Works and Owen Ncube of State Security. Also in
attendance was Bulawayo Metropolitan Minister of Provincial Affairs and
Devolution, Cde Judith Ncube.
Minister Kazembe has also met the Matabeleland Collective
as part of efforts to bring matters deliberated on into fruition.
President Mnangagwa arrived in Bulawayo on Friday and
yesterday morning got the ball rolling when he held a closed-door meeting with
a delegation from the Bulawayo City Council, led by the Mayor, Councillor
Solomon Mguni mainly focusing on the water problems in the city.
He then also held a closed-door meeting with members of the
Matabeleland Collective.
The President has emphasised his commitment to continue
holding robust discussions with Matabeleland civic groups, stressing the need
for national cohesion and collective efforts in taking the country forward.
Apart from the issue of Gukurahundi, President Mnangagwa has expressed the need
to address developmental challenges in the Matabeleland region. Chronicle
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