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Gukurahundi: MPs insist on truth-telling
05 Sep 2020 at 09:33hrs | Views
OPPOSITION legislators have urged government to allow for truth-telling as a conflict resolution mechanism to address the emotive Gukurahundi issue.
The MPs made the demand in Parliament on Thursday when Vice-President Kembo Mohadi tabled the 2018 and 2019 National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) reports.
MDC Alliance's proportional representation (PR) legislator Jasmine Toffa said the NPRC must include conflict resolution methods in its policy documents to avoid
re-occurrence of political conflicts and the electoral violence that has blighted the country's past elections since 1980.
"All these problems started in 1980 when people in Matabeleland were tortured and victimised," Toffa said.
"We need to look at this issue with a gender lens with regards to the victims where women are the most affected with regards to being victims because they are the ones that have to take care of the children left behind.
"In Matabeleland, thousands of children are without birth certificates and this issue of issuance of birth certificates must be treated seriously?."
Dorcas Sibanda (MDC Alliance PR MP) said the NPRC must ensure that truth is told to put closure to the Gukurahundi issue.
"The liberation war ended in 1979, but in the 1980s there was Gukurahundi which has not yet been resolved. The NPRC must look at this issue and ensure that the truth comes out on what exactly happened," Sibanda said.
Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure said there was need for writ-ing of the correct history of Zimbabwe because it is being distorted to give an impression that only Zanla cadres who participated in the liberation struggle, yet they fought alongside Zipra.
"We need to document what exactly happened in Matabeleland so that we learn from those mistakes. We also need to open up the air-waves because 40 years after independence, Zimbabwe only has one television station and is denying people information," Madzimure said.
Gokwe Chireya MP Torerayi Moyo (Zanu-PF) said the NPRC must be well-resourced. Moyo said the commission should monitor hate speech which is rampant especially on social media platforms.
Gutu East MP Berita Chikwama (Zanu-PF) said some people were trying to politicise the NPRC reports and ignoring its recommendations.
The MPs made the demand in Parliament on Thursday when Vice-President Kembo Mohadi tabled the 2018 and 2019 National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) reports.
MDC Alliance's proportional representation (PR) legislator Jasmine Toffa said the NPRC must include conflict resolution methods in its policy documents to avoid
re-occurrence of political conflicts and the electoral violence that has blighted the country's past elections since 1980.
"All these problems started in 1980 when people in Matabeleland were tortured and victimised," Toffa said.
"We need to look at this issue with a gender lens with regards to the victims where women are the most affected with regards to being victims because they are the ones that have to take care of the children left behind.
"In Matabeleland, thousands of children are without birth certificates and this issue of issuance of birth certificates must be treated seriously?."
"The liberation war ended in 1979, but in the 1980s there was Gukurahundi which has not yet been resolved. The NPRC must look at this issue and ensure that the truth comes out on what exactly happened," Sibanda said.
Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure said there was need for writ-ing of the correct history of Zimbabwe because it is being distorted to give an impression that only Zanla cadres who participated in the liberation struggle, yet they fought alongside Zipra.
"We need to document what exactly happened in Matabeleland so that we learn from those mistakes. We also need to open up the air-waves because 40 years after independence, Zimbabwe only has one television station and is denying people information," Madzimure said.
Gokwe Chireya MP Torerayi Moyo (Zanu-PF) said the NPRC must be well-resourced. Moyo said the commission should monitor hate speech which is rampant especially on social media platforms.
Gutu East MP Berita Chikwama (Zanu-PF) said some people were trying to politicise the NPRC reports and ignoring its recommendations.
Source - newsday
