New constitution not solution to Gukurahundi says Mzila Ndlovu

BULAWAYO - A new constitution is not a solution to the emotive Gukurahundi killings which happened in the 1980s in Matabeleland and Midlands Provinces, says National Healing and Reconciliation co-minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu.

Addressing the Matabeleland Civic Society Forum on devolution of power in Bulawayo on Saturday, Mzila-Ndlovu said since some perpetrators of Gukurahundi were involved in the drafting of the new constitution, there was no way victims of the massacres could get justice through the process.

"We had perpetrators of Gukurahundi being included in the drafting and negotiating of this new draft constitution. So it will be difficult for Gukurahundi victims to get justice through the same document.

Perpetrators of Gukurahundi cannot allow the document to be used against them," said Mzila- Ndlovu, who belongs to the breakaway faction of the MDC led by Welshman Ncube.

Over 20 000 people, including pregnant women and children, were butchered to death after President Robert Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade to crush dissent in the opposition hotbed.

Speaking at the same meeting National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) spokesperson Blessing Vava said: "Zimbabweans should not only demand devolution of power to be included in the new constitution, but should look at the whole document.

"As NCA we will not support that draft constitution crafted by politicians - we still stand with a NO vote."

Constitution Select Committee (Copac) co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora, who is also the mainstream MDC spokesperson, told the same conference that: "Zimbabweans must back the new draft constitution and defend it against Mugabe and Zanu PF.

"We must understand this draft constitution was drafted under conditions of mistrust by political parties."

Last week, Copac announced it had finally produced Zimbabwe's long delayed draft constitution setting the stage for an all stakeholders meeting and referendum.