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Mnangagwa told to address Gukurahundi
22 Nov 2017 at 07:03hrs | Views
INCOMING President Emmerson Mnangagwa should urgently address the Gukurahundi atrocities, a Bulawayo-based lobby group has said.
Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as state president, replacing Robert Mugabe who dramatically resigned Tuesday as MPs moved to impeach him.
The former vice president had escaped into exile after being fired by Mugabe, saying his life was in danger.
However, the tables turned on the 93-year-old Mugabe, as the military took to the streets and placed him under house arrest leading to Tuesday's resignation.
Ruling Zanu PF party officials said they expected Mnangagwa, now interim party leader, to be swiftly sworn in as state president.
In an interview with New Zimbabwe.com, Mbuso Fuzwayo, leader of lobby group Ibhetshu Likazulu, said Mnangagwa should "put in place genuine mechanism of healing the wounds of the Gukurahundi victims".
"I am not a Mngangagwa darling, but if he succeeds in his presidential bid, he should not suppress debate and discussion over this emotive issue," said Fuzwayo.
"As an individual who has been implicated in the atrocities, we expect him to cooperate and not continue with the blame game. The blame game will not take us anywhere as a country."
At least 20,000 civilians are said to have been killed when Mugabe deployed a military unit in the Matebeleland and Midlands regions supposedly to hunt down dissidents in the early 1980s.
Mnangagwa, who was state security minister at the height of the disturbances, has been charged with involvement in the killings, allegations he denies.
Former president Mugabe, then prime minister, has never apologised for the atrocities, only describing the period as a moment of madness.
Fuzwayo said it was time for Mnangagwa, who has been part of successive governments since independence in 1980, to come clean on the issue.
He said his organisation would, next month, go ahead with its Gukurahundi commemorations at Bhalagwe mine shaft in Kezi. The event was blocked by Matabeleland South police in October.
"We are definitely going ahead with our Gukurahundi commemorations next month. Right now, we are finalising the dates and modalities," added Fuzwayo.
Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as state president, replacing Robert Mugabe who dramatically resigned Tuesday as MPs moved to impeach him.
The former vice president had escaped into exile after being fired by Mugabe, saying his life was in danger.
However, the tables turned on the 93-year-old Mugabe, as the military took to the streets and placed him under house arrest leading to Tuesday's resignation.
Ruling Zanu PF party officials said they expected Mnangagwa, now interim party leader, to be swiftly sworn in as state president.
In an interview with New Zimbabwe.com, Mbuso Fuzwayo, leader of lobby group Ibhetshu Likazulu, said Mnangagwa should "put in place genuine mechanism of healing the wounds of the Gukurahundi victims".
"I am not a Mngangagwa darling, but if he succeeds in his presidential bid, he should not suppress debate and discussion over this emotive issue," said Fuzwayo.
"As an individual who has been implicated in the atrocities, we expect him to cooperate and not continue with the blame game. The blame game will not take us anywhere as a country."
At least 20,000 civilians are said to have been killed when Mugabe deployed a military unit in the Matebeleland and Midlands regions supposedly to hunt down dissidents in the early 1980s.
Mnangagwa, who was state security minister at the height of the disturbances, has been charged with involvement in the killings, allegations he denies.
Former president Mugabe, then prime minister, has never apologised for the atrocities, only describing the period as a moment of madness.
Fuzwayo said it was time for Mnangagwa, who has been part of successive governments since independence in 1980, to come clean on the issue.
He said his organisation would, next month, go ahead with its Gukurahundi commemorations at Bhalagwe mine shaft in Kezi. The event was blocked by Matabeleland South police in October.
"We are definitely going ahead with our Gukurahundi commemorations next month. Right now, we are finalising the dates and modalities," added Fuzwayo.
Source - newzimbabwe
