President ED unapologetic after the murder of 17 and alleged rape cases

President ED has embarrassed our women. While being interviewed in Addis Abbaba, he told the reporter that he needs to see the graves of the murdered Zimbabweans in order to accept that the Zimbabwe National Army and police were responsible for the recent killings. The president blamed women for stage managing rape claims. There is only one rape case connected to the soldiers reported in Chitungwiza according to him. This piece seeks to advice President ED Mnangagwa to swallow his pride and apologize for the murder of 17 and rape case(s), it is very difficult for him to hide behind his finger.

History has been always telling us that ZANU PF has no time to apologize for the atrocities that they committed from Gukurahundi to the August 1 2018 murders. I was thinking that forgiveness was going to be part of President ED Mnangagwa's new dispensation. It is now being confirmed that ZANU PF youths could have been responsible for the murders and rape. One of the culprits confessed that he was given uniforms for army from ZANU PF HQ. This vindicates what Jim Kunaka told the August 1 2018 commission. He told the commission that, ZANU PF has been arming youths and thugs to perpetrate violence against the opposition.

It was a shock for me to learn that, President ED Mnangagwa does not know the figure of the innocent Zimbabweans murdered during the previous confrontation between ZCTU and the army/police. He offended the relatives of the victims by demanding a grave count of the murdered innocent Zimbabweans. I am confident that the president was not telling the reporter the truth. The UK government has already taken action against Zimbabwe following the murder of 17 innocent civilians.  European Union (EU) has refused to remove the restrictions on Zimbabwe because of the murder of the 17 innocent civilians and the rigged elections of 2018.

Actions by UK government and EU should have given our President wisdom to apologize for the murders committed by the army before the world. It is very difficult for the president to run away from the murders. The only humble solution is for the president to apologize and request for a fresh start with the international community. It is not too late for our president to apologize, he should do the right thing now.

There are allegations of rape that the government of ED should take seriously. President ED accepted that there is only one rape case reported in Chitungwiza that was related to soldiers. That acceptance on its own is a reflection that cases of rape of Zimbabwean women during the disturbance may be prevalent. President ED Mnangagwa appeared to be threatening the rape victims. Majority of these women have already fled into exile and the President is threatening to bring them back to the country because of the notion that they are soiling the image of Zimbabwe abroad.

There is no way these (raped women) can get fair justice in Zimbabwe because they are no longer protected by the President who is supposed to make sure that justice is delivered. It is unfortunate that our President (who is supposed to be neutral) has taken a side against the raped women. In short, the President has just intimidated the victims of rape and we should not expect fair justice out of this. There is need for President to apologize before women, I know the agony that they are going through.

Don Chigumba is a mixed methods research specialist can be found on twitter @Donchigumba