Chief Bango protects his supper, threatens villager over Gukurahundi petition

Chief Bango of Matabeleland South has reportedly threatened a villager who circulated a petition on the Sontala WhatsApp group, calling for chiefs to be excluded from the Gukurahundi hearings.

Launched in the early 1980s, Gukurahundi was officially described by the government as an operation to eliminate dissidents who were attacking civilians. In practice, however, it predominantly targeted the Ndebele communities in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

Human rights groups estimate that 20 000 people were killed during the genocide.

As part of addressing the atrocities, President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently launched the Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme, where victims and survivors can express their grievances before a 14-member panel led by a chief.

In a leaked WhatsApp group chat, a villager shared a petition calling for chiefs to abstain from the hearings.

"I posted this petition for the people of Mthwakazi to sign, requesting that chiefs not participate in the Gukurahundi hearings. They were the ones who were beaten, their people abused, and their parents killed. The perpetrators are now asking us to explain why we were victimised instead of facing us with answers. This could lead to conflict between us and our chiefs."

The audio further criticized the involvement of chiefs, stating, "They are the ones complaining that their people were killed. They are not the ones who should handle these hearings. If we first question the chiefs about who killed the people, I don't think they know. If they know, they are afraid to say it, or they are afraid to ask. So how are they going to handle this issue? It should be clear first who the killer is, and we ask him."

The audio did not go down well with Chief Bango, who responded sternly, demanding that the individual who sent the audio visit his homestead within five days to explain his intentions.

"Please, let's not misuse this group. This Ward 12 group was created for discussions on development. This person who sent this audio talking about politics, I request that when they get time, come to my homestead to explain what message they are conveying to my subjects," he said.

Other group members criticised Chief Bango's response, reminding him that his authority comes from the people.

One villager stated, "You know very well how we are suffering. You can even tell when people attend your meetings. It's better for you because you are provided with cars and other benefits by the government, but when we express our concerns, you threaten us with arrest. Why do you want to intimidate us instead of taking people's points and submitting them to the government to tell them about our complaints?"

"Please respect us. We saw you being at the forefront of this Gukurahundi issue. If we question you why people were killed, are you going to tell us? Don't threaten us. If you threaten him, you are not threatening him alone. Remember, many of us are suffering, and you are the only one who is well-off," the villager said.

They continued, "Is the truth no longer allowed in Ward 12? Remember, you are a chief because of the people, not the government. Inform the government about our hunger, suffering, and unemployment. What kind of development do you want to bring?"

When contacted for a comment, Chief Bango said he is not in a position to comment on the matter as audios are all over social media.