Opinion / Columnist
Gukurahundi - The torment of a people
06 Apr 2016 at 14:16hrs | Views
The independence of Zimbabwe has always been a bitter experience for all well meaning citizens right from the 1980 elections which were stolen by the British and ZANU. Lord Soames, then Governor of Rhodesia, standing for British interest decided who should rule this county.
The violence that unleashed on ZAPU members and supporters in the then Eastern Provinces was unparalleled in the country's history. Two ZAPU parliamentary candidates were killed in cold blood while other supporters were tortured , maimed and displaced while the then Governor Lord Soames acknowledged this mayhem he did nothing to curtail it because it ensured that ZANU will get into power.
After independence the incoming governing party continued the violence that it had started during the campaign period leading to the elections now fully targeting the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), its leaders and supporters but more on a regional basis. All Matebeleland and parts of the Midlands Provinces were affected.
The Gukurahundi (5th Brigade) which at the time was answerable to a political party(ZANU)carried out the mayhem unabated leading to the killing of over 20 000 innocent, unarmed civilians. A callous, senseless destruction of human life whose crime was to belong to a different political party and a different region. The entire armed liberation struggle for independence did not kill so many unarmed civilians let alone combatants. This is SAVAGERY at worst. THE TORMENT OF A PEOPLE.
The 5th Brigade was followed by other uncouth militias - the so-called Zimbabwe Peoples Militia, and the Green Bombers - all answerable to a political party(ZANU) but fully kitted and, sustained by the tax payers - you and me. All this is to ensure that ZANU retains power at any cost. What a shame! A TORMENT OF A PEOPLE. This is only done a party that cannot freely appeal for support from the populace and get it.
The economy is haemorrhaging today because of the wanton disregard of human rights - ALL.
COMBATANTS MEETING. WOW!
Today 7th April, the President of the country, the entire cabinet and some members of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association are meeting to deliberate on God knows what at a cost of around $1 000 000(one millions United States dollars). In this gathering of the unequalls the majority of the participants are ZIPRA and ZANLA combatants accompanied by a skewed political leadership. The agenda, I believe is the welfare of themselves and not the country at a large.
My call on these, our erstwhile comrades, is this: Pause a moment, think about victims of the gukurandi, victims of the liberation struggle who are all Zimbabweans of all descriptions - dead and alive - who have been reduced to destitution. Think seriously and search your consciences about the Zimbabwe that we desired during the struggle for emancipation that have been thrown out of the window never to be seen again.
ZIPRA Veterans - sitting in this meeting search - search your inner persons, your souls! Remember the over 20 000 ZAPU and ZIPRA members who were butchered or disappeared without trace in order to humiliate you and deny you the recognition that you fought a gallant war and that you were reduced to dissidents. How do you repay those! Remember whole villages were burned down in search of US. Search Your Souls.
SKMoyo, Eunice Sandi, Kembo Mohadi, Kutshwekhaya Ndlovu, Commissarr Cain Mathema P V Sibanda, Titus Abu Basutu, Ambrose Mutinhiri and others in there search your souls! EDMnangwagwa, Sydney Sekeramayi, Robert Mugabe, Perence Shiri, General Chiwenga, Major General Nyikayaramba - Search Your Souls
Search Your Souls.
This is a CLARION CALL TO HONOUR UP AND HEAL THE NATION.
GUKURAUNDI - A TORMENT OF A PEOPLE
The violence that unleashed on ZAPU members and supporters in the then Eastern Provinces was unparalleled in the country's history. Two ZAPU parliamentary candidates were killed in cold blood while other supporters were tortured , maimed and displaced while the then Governor Lord Soames acknowledged this mayhem he did nothing to curtail it because it ensured that ZANU will get into power.
After independence the incoming governing party continued the violence that it had started during the campaign period leading to the elections now fully targeting the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), its leaders and supporters but more on a regional basis. All Matebeleland and parts of the Midlands Provinces were affected.
The Gukurahundi (5th Brigade) which at the time was answerable to a political party(ZANU)carried out the mayhem unabated leading to the killing of over 20 000 innocent, unarmed civilians. A callous, senseless destruction of human life whose crime was to belong to a different political party and a different region. The entire armed liberation struggle for independence did not kill so many unarmed civilians let alone combatants. This is SAVAGERY at worst. THE TORMENT OF A PEOPLE.
The 5th Brigade was followed by other uncouth militias - the so-called Zimbabwe Peoples Militia, and the Green Bombers - all answerable to a political party(ZANU) but fully kitted and, sustained by the tax payers - you and me. All this is to ensure that ZANU retains power at any cost. What a shame! A TORMENT OF A PEOPLE. This is only done a party that cannot freely appeal for support from the populace and get it.
COMBATANTS MEETING. WOW!
Today 7th April, the President of the country, the entire cabinet and some members of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association are meeting to deliberate on God knows what at a cost of around $1 000 000(one millions United States dollars). In this gathering of the unequalls the majority of the participants are ZIPRA and ZANLA combatants accompanied by a skewed political leadership. The agenda, I believe is the welfare of themselves and not the country at a large.
My call on these, our erstwhile comrades, is this: Pause a moment, think about victims of the gukurandi, victims of the liberation struggle who are all Zimbabweans of all descriptions - dead and alive - who have been reduced to destitution. Think seriously and search your consciences about the Zimbabwe that we desired during the struggle for emancipation that have been thrown out of the window never to be seen again.
ZIPRA Veterans - sitting in this meeting search - search your inner persons, your souls! Remember the over 20 000 ZAPU and ZIPRA members who were butchered or disappeared without trace in order to humiliate you and deny you the recognition that you fought a gallant war and that you were reduced to dissidents. How do you repay those! Remember whole villages were burned down in search of US. Search Your Souls.
SKMoyo, Eunice Sandi, Kembo Mohadi, Kutshwekhaya Ndlovu, Commissarr Cain Mathema P V Sibanda, Titus Abu Basutu, Ambrose Mutinhiri and others in there search your souls! EDMnangwagwa, Sydney Sekeramayi, Robert Mugabe, Perence Shiri, General Chiwenga, Major General Nyikayaramba - Search Your Souls
Search Your Souls.
This is a CLARION CALL TO HONOUR UP AND HEAL THE NATION.
GUKURAUNDI - A TORMENT OF A PEOPLE
Source - Jacob J D Dube
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