Gukurahundi deployed on this day in 1983

January 20, 2025 marks the somber 42nd anniversary of one of the darkest chapters in Zimbabwe's history - the Gukurahundi genocide. This atrocity, carried out by the North Korea-trained Five Brigade under the command of Perence Shiri, alongside other military units, descended upon Matabeleland in 1983 with ruthless brutality that shook the nation to its core.

On January 20, 1983, exactly 42 years ago, the genocidal campaign began as the Five Brigade, supported by 1 Brigade under the command of Constantino Chiwenga (then known as Dominic Chinhenge), advanced into Lupane and surrounding areas in Matabeleland North province. The region was soon engulfed in horrors - mass killings, torture, and widespread human rights abuses that would leave a scar on Zimbabwe's collective memory.

The campaign was preceded by the discovery of a massive arms cache at Ascot Farm, purportedly linked to Zapu and South Africa's ANC. This, according to the state, justified the crackdown against Zapu and its perceived "dissidents." Robert Mugabe, then Prime Minister and later President, orchestrated a campaign of fear, targeting Zapu supporters, and exacerbating ethnic divisions along Ndebele lines.

In the early days, during his trip to India, Mugabe left the country in the hands of his close allies, including Solomon Mujuru, Vitalis Zvinavashe, and others who were pivotal in planning the operations. These atrocities, executed with precision, mirrored the atrocities committed by colonial forces during Rhodesian rule but on an even more extensive scale, with a level of cruelty unseen in Zimbabwean history.

The violence was not limited to rural areas; even cities like Bulawayo witnessed the oppression. Traditional leaders were mobilized, and the Five Brigade systematically eradicated those perceived as threats. Their terror left at least 20,000 dead, many more injured, and countless families devastated.

Throughout the campaign, voices of dissent were silenced - brutally. Journalists, clergymen, and opposition figures who dared to speak out were targeted. Clergymen such as Mike Auret, Ernst Karlen, and John Gough risked everything to expose the atrocities. Their reports condemned the state for a genocidal campaign and urged for accountability. Despite this, Mugabe's government remained defiant, denying the extent of the massacres and suppressing any inquiry into the atrocities.

In March 1983, the Catholic Church's efforts, led by bishops and priests, culminated in a meeting with Mugabe at State House. They presented evidence of mass killings and called for immediate intervention. However, Mugabe's response was dismissive, and the atrocities continued unabated.

The state-controlled media played a crucial role in propagating the genocide, suppressing reports, and amplifying state propaganda against Zapu and the Ndebele people. Only a few foreign journalists like Nick Worrall and Peter Godwin brought the world's attention to the genocide, only to be deported as a result.

Today, 42 years later, Zimbabwe still grapples with the legacy of Gukurahundi. The process of seeking justice has been fraught with political and social tension. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a key enforcer of the Gukurahundi operations, is now tasked with addressing this heinous past. Public hearings are expected to begin in the first quarter of the year, aiming to heal and reconcile a divided nation.

However, the wounds are deep, and many are calling for accountability, reparations, and a clear acknowledgment of the atrocities committed. Gukurahundi remains a haunting chapter in Zimbabwe's history - a reminder of the cost of political power and the long road towards reconciliation.