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Chamisa to roll out truth & reconciliation NOT for gukurahundi
26 Mar 2018 at 01:26hrs | Views
MDC-T and MDC Alliance presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa yesterday pledged to roll out a holistic national truth and reconciliation programme to heal the wounds of the 2002 and 2008 violent elections after some of the perpetrators and victims attended an MDC Alliance rally at Nzvimbo business centre in Chiweshe and pleaded for an arbiter to reconcile them. The period mentioned by Chamisa excludes the dark gukurahundi period.
Chamisa, who is on a countrywide campaign trail ahead of this year's general elections, said he was touched by the outpouring of grief shared by some of the victims and perpetrators of the past elections.
"I was so touched by the testimonies given by some Zanu-PF perpetrators of violence, who have invited us to assist them reconcile with the former adversaries. The violence that occurred during that period was real and it's now time to heal those wounds," he said .
"It's not a secret that Mashonaland Central province has been the bedrock of Zanu-PF violent campaigns since 2000 and we are saying enough is enough, people should be given an opportunity to forgive each other and co-exhist. That feat can only be achieved when we come into power and embark on a genuine national healing process based on transitional justice, truth and forgiveness. Perpetrators should also be helped to heal from the after effects of their past violent behaviour and forgiven."
Chamisa said it was sad that nearly 38 years after independence, Mashonaland Central province still lagged behind in infrastructure development, with some roads, clinics and schools falling apart and yet it boasted of raising a high number of Zanu-PF ministers during former President Robert Mugabe's reign.
The youthful MDC-T leader pledged to reverse most "ruinous policies" introduced by former Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora and to also transform the agricultural sector into a world class agro-industrial sector.
"Although we acknowledge that the land reform programme is irreversible, we would like to assure the electorate that agriculture under the MDC-T government will undergo massive transformation so that it really because the backbone of the economy," he said.
His government, he said, would put more emphasis on technological development to ensure the country beneficiates all its natural resources for maximum benefit for all citizens.
Chamisa, who is on a countrywide campaign trail ahead of this year's general elections, said he was touched by the outpouring of grief shared by some of the victims and perpetrators of the past elections.
"I was so touched by the testimonies given by some Zanu-PF perpetrators of violence, who have invited us to assist them reconcile with the former adversaries. The violence that occurred during that period was real and it's now time to heal those wounds," he said .
"It's not a secret that Mashonaland Central province has been the bedrock of Zanu-PF violent campaigns since 2000 and we are saying enough is enough, people should be given an opportunity to forgive each other and co-exhist. That feat can only be achieved when we come into power and embark on a genuine national healing process based on transitional justice, truth and forgiveness. Perpetrators should also be helped to heal from the after effects of their past violent behaviour and forgiven."
The youthful MDC-T leader pledged to reverse most "ruinous policies" introduced by former Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora and to also transform the agricultural sector into a world class agro-industrial sector.
"Although we acknowledge that the land reform programme is irreversible, we would like to assure the electorate that agriculture under the MDC-T government will undergo massive transformation so that it really because the backbone of the economy," he said.
His government, he said, would put more emphasis on technological development to ensure the country beneficiates all its natural resources for maximum benefit for all citizens.
Source - newsday
