News / National
Mphoko's Gukurahundi law divides Zanu-PF
28 May 2017 at 09:35hrs | Views
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's proposed law to address the Gukuruhundi atrocities is facing massive resistance from Zanu-PF MPs, with some ruling party legislators openly declaring they will not support the Bill in Parliament.
Mphoko is sponsoring the reworked National Peace and Reconciliation Bill, which among other issues, will deal with the emotive Gukurahundi, where an estimated 20 000 civilians in Midlands and Matabeleland were butchered by the Fifth Brigade soon after independence.
Zanu-PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke has been forced to back Mphoko's Bill publicly after outspoken MPs such as Joseph Chinotimba and Oliver Mandipika criticised it during debate in Parliament.
"We are not opposed to the Bill; all we want is the Bill to address fundamental issues of healing and reconciliation. It must not focus on Gukurahundi, as is being pushed by some MPs," Matuke said.
"It must be known that we have atrocities committed way before independence and those too must be looked into if we are to go back.
"Our view is we must focus on the future and not try to dig past issues."
Matuke added: "We are fully behind the Bill but all we want is clarity on issues so that we don't create a war atmosphere again or break the current peaceful environment which we are enjoying."
Oliver Mandipaka, the Zanu-PF MP for Buhera West, said he felt there was no need to "reopen old wounds".
"If this country had conflict in one way or the other; whether it was a tribal, religious, ethnic or political conflict and we are looking at the number of years that we have gone by and we have failed as a nation to go and give evidence about what has happened," he said during debate on the Bill, "Why are we trying to open up those wounds now?"
He even accused Mphoko of trying to destabilise the country by pushing for the proposed law.
"I think that there is a third force which is trying to throw into our Constitution and system certain negativities that will cause conflict amongst and between ourselves," Mandipaka claimed.
His sentiments were echoed by Chinotimba, the Buhera South MP, who claimed the proposed law would "destroy the country".
"If the executive cannot see, clearly this Bill will destroy the country. I will not allow it," he said.
Zvishavane-Ngezi MP, John Holder said Zimbabweans should forget about the past and focus on the future.
"We do not live in the past. Rivers never flow in reverse," he said.
"Let us try to be like a river. Let us focus on the future. Let us always be positive".
However, MDC MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the Zanu-PF legislators who opposed the law were fearful of the unknown.
"It is unfortunate that as a nation, we have gotten to a point where issues of conflict, healing, issues that should be bringing us together, we do not care much about them; we are so used to just living life as life without necessarily understanding where people are coming from," Misihairabwi-Mushonga said.
She said most people were afraid to talk about national healing and reconciliation as they always associated it with Gukurahundi.
Mugabe, who once described the atrocities as a moment of madness, has never apologised.
Mphoko is sponsoring the reworked National Peace and Reconciliation Bill, which among other issues, will deal with the emotive Gukurahundi, where an estimated 20 000 civilians in Midlands and Matabeleland were butchered by the Fifth Brigade soon after independence.
Zanu-PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke has been forced to back Mphoko's Bill publicly after outspoken MPs such as Joseph Chinotimba and Oliver Mandipika criticised it during debate in Parliament.
"We are not opposed to the Bill; all we want is the Bill to address fundamental issues of healing and reconciliation. It must not focus on Gukurahundi, as is being pushed by some MPs," Matuke said.
"It must be known that we have atrocities committed way before independence and those too must be looked into if we are to go back.
"Our view is we must focus on the future and not try to dig past issues."
Matuke added: "We are fully behind the Bill but all we want is clarity on issues so that we don't create a war atmosphere again or break the current peaceful environment which we are enjoying."
Oliver Mandipaka, the Zanu-PF MP for Buhera West, said he felt there was no need to "reopen old wounds".
"If this country had conflict in one way or the other; whether it was a tribal, religious, ethnic or political conflict and we are looking at the number of years that we have gone by and we have failed as a nation to go and give evidence about what has happened," he said during debate on the Bill, "Why are we trying to open up those wounds now?"
He even accused Mphoko of trying to destabilise the country by pushing for the proposed law.
His sentiments were echoed by Chinotimba, the Buhera South MP, who claimed the proposed law would "destroy the country".
"If the executive cannot see, clearly this Bill will destroy the country. I will not allow it," he said.
Zvishavane-Ngezi MP, John Holder said Zimbabweans should forget about the past and focus on the future.
"We do not live in the past. Rivers never flow in reverse," he said.
"Let us try to be like a river. Let us focus on the future. Let us always be positive".
However, MDC MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the Zanu-PF legislators who opposed the law were fearful of the unknown.
"It is unfortunate that as a nation, we have gotten to a point where issues of conflict, healing, issues that should be bringing us together, we do not care much about them; we are so used to just living life as life without necessarily understanding where people are coming from," Misihairabwi-Mushonga said.
She said most people were afraid to talk about national healing and reconciliation as they always associated it with Gukurahundi.
Mugabe, who once described the atrocities as a moment of madness, has never apologised.
Source - the standard
