President Emmerson Mnangagwa today warned the people of Matabeleland against individuals and parties that want to use the Gukurahundi issue for their selfish political ends.
He said this at the Bulawayo State when he launched the
Community Engagement Programme for Matabeleland and other areas affected by the
post-independence disturbances.
Gukurahundi was a period of disturbances which occurred in
Matabeleland and the Midlands region in 1982 and ended with the Unity Accord in
1987 between Zanu led by former President Robert Mugabe and ZAPU then led by
the late revolutionary icon Joshua Nkomo.
“I urge you all to be vigilant and to disregard any
attempts by any party or grouping to achieve political mileage through the
Gukurahundi issue,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Never again shall we be divided by those who purport to
teach democracy,” he added.
Some political parties and civil society organisations have
sought to use the Gukurahundi issue to stir hostility among the Ndebele people
towards the ruling Zanu PF Government.
The President encouraged Zimbabweans to seek the path of
peace and dialogue as a way of resolving all issues confronting them.
“To the external detractors who seek to maintain
Gukurahundi as a perennial fountain of conflict, I say to you, ‘Lingena
ngaphi’? (where do you come in?). This is a matter for Zimbabweans and shall be
resolved by the people of Zimbabwe.
“Our traditional values should be respected at all times
and divisive ideologies that perpetuate conflict should be shunned. Shame on
anyone who seeks to divide us.
“We must remain united towards a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe
for the present and future generations. The nation’s founding fathers moved past
their differences and dedicated their life to bring equality, justice, and
peace for all,” he said.
The engagement programme, which seeks to bring closure to
the disturbances that affected the Matabeleland and parts of Midlands soon
after independence, during which many people died during fighting between
Government forces and dissidents, will be spearheaded by traditional leaders in
consultation with the Government.
President Mnangagwa took the opportunity to launch the
manual which was compiled for traditional leaders on how they are going to
engage the communities.
Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira presented
the manual to the President.
President Mnangagwa said traditional leaders were best
placed to deal with issues affecting their respective communities since they
were the custodians of culture and heritage.
He said the Constitution and customary law empowered
traditional leaders to resolve conflicts among their subjects in accordance
with local traditions and customs.
“The resolution of conflict in our tradition is not a
prescriptive process but one that involves consultations and dialogue amongst
affected parties.
“The very construction of our traditional conflict
resolution system renders Chiefs the most suitable leaders to engage in the
process of finding concrete and lasting solutions to all the challenges that
our people encounter.
The President appealed to affected families and communities
to cooperate with traditional leaders in the process.
“We have already identified some of the key result
deliverables, which include the issuance of national identity documents, among
others, in line with 10 provisions of our Constitution.
“We have already designed and rolled out a programme
targeting those undocumented individuals with the assistance of the Traditional
Leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage’s Civil Registry
Department,” he said.
He called on churches, civil society organisations and
community leaders to continue contributing positively to the nation-building
process.
The process of addressing the Gukurahundi issue was
irreversible, he said, as it would assist in enhancing the development agenda
and strengthen the unity of Zimbabweans through a shared narrative that affirmed
a common identity, dignity and humanity.
In March 2019, a grouping of non-governmental organisations
working under the umbrella of Matabeleland Collective sought an audience with
President Mnangagwa to discuss issues affecting this region.
At the inaugural meeting, President Mnangagwa declared that
all matters affecting the nation, including the Gukurahundi issue, were not out
of bounds for discussion amongst the citizens.
A decision was made during the engagement that chiefs, as
the authority that was closest to the people, would lead the Community
Engagement Programme. – New Ziana
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