Jonathan Moyo on Gukurahundi re-burials

TSHOLOTSHO North MP, Professor Jonathan Moyo said he has faith in government processes to deal with various families' request to rebury their relatives who died during Gukurahundi.

In October 2016, Prof Moyo's family sought permission from the Tsholotsho District Administrator to allow them to rebury his father, Melusi Job Mlevu, who was allegedly killed during Gukurahundi.

Responding to questions at the Bulawayo Press Club, last Friday evening on whether his family's request to rebury his father had led to allegations of him misappropriating public funds, Prof Moyo dismissed such assertions.

"I don't have evidence that this is the case tying me to the allegations," he said.

The minister also played down that the request would open a floodgate of similar requests from people wishing to do the same.

"The idea that there is an unlimited number of people who will then come up with requests for reburials is not true we need empirical evidence for that.

There will never be a shortage of crazy, mad people and I am not responsible for their madness. In this, I am carrying my own cross, let them carry theirs as well."

Prof Moyo said Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko who was in charge of the National Peace and Reconciliation portfolio in government had clearly indicated this issue will "not only be addressed but will be addressed."

The cabinet minister said it was ideal for the government to listen to people's wishes in so far as this matter was concerned.

"It is unreasonable and it is not sustainable that they should not bury they loved ones. By asking you they are showing respect so the same reciprocation should be done. If you say, you can't or won't that will be disrespectful.

"VP Mphoko said they are working on the process and it will be done orderly. As an affected Zimbabwean, I am satisfied with that position and hope that what the VP said will happen as soon as possible," he noted.

The Tsholotsho North MP said in some communities, shallow graves were visible as they are not hidden.

"It is not like a place you don't know, therefore he right thing has to be done."

Meanwhile Prof Moyo said those alleging he was corrupt would fail as he was committed to his job.

"Successionists never win," he said. "Against the successionists, the loyalists are a formidable people.

The people will always govern. Anybody who thinks they can rule without the people are jokes. I don't see any confusion around this, but desperation. History and the archives have no examples of victorious successionists."

The cabinet minister said he and his staff in the Mnistry of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development worked very hard which irked some corrupt elements.

"We have no time for corruption. We work 24 hours and we have been doing it for long time. Fighting corruption is important. Corruption is a cancer. However, nobody should make Zimbabweans seem stupid as if they don't know who is corrupt.

"Some of them (those alleging he had abused ZimDef funds) have 30 million British Pounds, and not $400 000, stashed in offshore accounts but I am said to be corrupt because I gave our traditional leaders bicycles to interact with their communities…"