Zimbabwe won't progress without resolving Gukurahundi issue

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe will not achieve much progress without justice and reconciliation, a statement which has come at a time when many pressure groups have ramped up pressure on his administration to deal with past human rights abuses.

Mnangagwa made the statements on his Twitter handle President of Zimbabwe @edmnangagwa on Sunday, a day after opening it.

The President officially confirmed the page through a video clip posted on Twitter on Saturday.

"I am proud to announce that this is my official Twitter page," he said, joining several African Presidents such Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta who are active on the micro-blogging site.

On Sunday, Mnangagwa — whose administration has been put under the spotlight by the clergy, opposition political parties, civic groups and other pressure groups — said Zimbabwe could not progress without justice and reconciliation.

"When we go to the elections, you should not fight. When people support their parties, it's their choice. We should work for the people and not be selfish. There should be justice and national reconciliation because we cannot progress when communities are in conflict. God bless Zimbabwe," he said.

The statement comes a week after he signed into law the National Peace and Reconciliation (NPRC) Bill to operationalise the commission, setting up the framework on how the commission will conduct its duties in addressing past human rights violations such as Gukurahundi and Operation Murambatsvina, among others.

The government has not yet outlined how it intends to deal with the past human rights abuses.

Reverend Ray Motsi, a theologian and peace-building expert, said Zimbabwe needs national dialogue to facilitate truth, justice and reconciliation efforts over past wrongs, but only if the government takes ownership and responsibility.

"If government is serious about this, even about the NPRC, then there must be need to repeal some of these primitive laws and the attitude that we have particularly from the powers that be. National dialogue must be aimed at leading the government to a national acknowledgement of what happened and to take ownership and responsibility to address what happened," Motsi said on Friday at a Sapes Trust forum in Bulawayo.

The discussion was held under the theme Gukurahundi: Towards A National Dialogue.