Chief Maduna raises the stakes against Mnangagwa

Outspoken Fibalusi Chief Vezi Maduna Mafu has raised the stakes against President Emmerson Mnangagwa after it emerged he recently wrote a letter to the United Nations (UN) appealing for its intervention on the highly-contested Gukurahundi matter.

The new development comes after the traditional leader recently broke ranks with the Zanu-PF tradition where chiefs have widely been viewed as party officials, when he wrote a letter to Mnangagwa pleading with him to set up a commission to look into the internationally-condemned genocide.

In the latest development, Maduna requested the UN to set up a special commission to investigate the Gukurahundi atrocities, in a clear sign that the traditional leader has lost faith in Mnangagwa addressing the issue.

"We write requesting an independent commission of inquiry be set up to investigate atrocities which occurred in Matabeleland and Midlands in Zimbabwe, Africa, between 1981 and 1987 immediately after the country gained independence from Britain (sic)," wrote Chief Maduna in a letter dated November 13, 2018, addressed to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

"The atrocities escalated into genocide occasioned by ethnic cleansing agenda targeting the Ndebele people in the western and central parts of the country (sic)".

Maduna said it was high time the country engages external assistance since previous internal efforts have all but yielded nothing as there is lack of political will to deal with the matter.

"The two regions have over the years sought internal resolution of the matter but government of Zimbabwe which is led by the Shona tribes people who were instrumental in the massacre of the innocent civilians has been reluctant to discuss the matter later on to investigate it (sic)," he said.

"The former president Robert Mugabe who was the prime minister at the time set up two commissions to inquire into the atrocities, the Dumbutshena, and the Chihambakwe ommissions," he said adding that it was unfortunate that the reports were never made public.

The fearless traditional leader took aim at Mnangagwa whom he accused of not being the right person to deal with the matter since it is alleged that he played a huge role during the atrocities.

"It is my considered opinion that since the government of Zimbabwe is led by a Shona tribesman who was highly involved in the perpetration of this crime against humanity; he is seriously compromised to set up an effective and objective commission to look into these atrocities," he said.

"In fact the government of Zimbabwe has over the years been paying lip service to healing and reconciliation processes whilst actually playing for time to get the matter to be prescribed. The matter has only four years left according to the Zimbabwean Constitution to be resolved otherwise it becomes prescribed. Once that happens, it will be difficult if not impossible to seek redress for these injustices," he further noted.

As if that is not enough, Maduna came up with his own 18 member list which he said can do justice if appointed to the commission of inquiry.

This he said will include South Africa's King Goodwill Zwelithini, Chief Felix Ndiweni, Chief Mathema, Chief Fuyane, former South Africa public protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela, Genocide Watch president Gregory Stanton, former National Healing minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu, United States secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Human rights chief Prince Zeid Raad Al Hussein, a senior CNN investigative journalist, pathologist firms which investigated the Yugoslavia Genocide and Jewish Holocaust in German, International Criminal Court of Justice judge, an Actuary firm from Israel among others.