Mthwakazi secessionist groups clash over gukurahundi graves

THE two Mthwakazi secessionist groups have clashed over the reburial of suspected Gukurahundi victims' remains in Matabeleland.

Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF), led by Mpiyezwe Guduza, is accusing the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), led by Mqondisi Moyo, of colluding with the ruling Zanu-PF to tamper with the atrocities' evidence through conducting reburials.

This was after MRP recently reburied remains of suspected Gukurahundi victims in Lupane, Matobo and Gwanda.

"…documentary evidence at our disposal shows the so-called MRP being involved in the burial of a certain deceased Nkala believed to be related to the late Enos Mzombi Nkala. Another incident also concerned the burial of a certain deceased person in the area of Matobo," Guduza said.

"The third case is about the burial of what are also believed to be remains of a victim in Gwanda. This incident was circulated with a picture a great deal on the social media. It is in terms of the above that we as the MLF find the behaviour of the so-called MRP not only unprecedented, but shocking, objectionable, detestable, repulsive, hurtful, distasteful and disgusting to say the least."

He accused Mqondisi and his team of assisting the ruling party in destroying evidence of the massacres to ensure the Zanu-PF government is not held accountable for the atrocities, which reportedly claimed over 20 000 in Matabeleland and Midlands regions in the early 1980s.

"A crime scene is simply that, a crime scene. It must be protected before the collection and documentation of the evidence," Guduza charged.

But, MRP secretary-general Hloniphani Ncube dismissed Guduza as being petty, adding their programme had been cleared by community leaders.

"The problem with briefcase parties is that they argue on social media and make their assumptions on social media somewhere outside Mthwakazi, with no taste of the hardship experienced by people surrounded by bones of dead people."

Meanwhile, Lupane residents yesterday rejected government's proposed constitutional amendments, challenging the regime to instead facilitate compensation for Gukurahundi victims.

Residents told a public hearing conducted by the Fortune Chasi-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice that constitutional amendments were not a priority in the region at the moment.

"Let us stick to the Constitution as it is now and address fundamental issues affecting Matabeleland that need the attention of the Executive such as compensation for people that were killed during the Gukurahundi era, which should be the centre stage of discussions here, not issues to do with changing the Constitution which people have not yet enjoyed," Vumani Ndlovu said.

Maxwell Mthunzani warned of civil unrest if the Constitution is amended without people's support, adding it also belittles the President if he usurps the powers of the Judiciary.