Chiefs meet to finalise long-delayed gukurahundi outreach programme

Traditional leaders from Matebeleland North and South have convened in Bulawayo to finalise preparations for the long-awaited Gukurahundi Community Engagement Outreach Programme, a government-backed initiative aimed at addressing one of Zimbabwe's most painful historical chapters.

The chiefs are working closely with the programme's Steering Committee to review community feedback collected during recent public awareness campaigns, with a focus on building consensus and readiness for the next phase-public hearings in affected areas.

A critical part of the process underway includes the training of rapporteurs, who will be responsible for documenting testimonies from survivors during the upcoming outreach sessions.

A formal session of the National Council of Chiefs is scheduled for 15 June, where the operational framework for the outreach will be tabled for approval and strategic guidance issued to support the rollout.

The engagement programme, which has faced multiple delays since it was first announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2019, is intended to create a platform for Gukurahundi survivors and families to share their stories as part of a broader national healing and reconciliation process.

A Command Centre has already been established in Bulawayo, set to coordinate logistics and administrative support for the hearings.

Despite growing anticipation, no official date has been confirmed for the start of the outreach sessions. The hearings were previously proposed to begin on 16 June, but Chief Mtshane Khumalo, President of the National Chiefs Council, revealed in a recent interview with CITE that the launch has been postponed due to resource constraints.

"June 16 was a proposed date, but unfortunately the hearings will not be starting on that day," Chief Mtshane said. "Once everything is in order, we will advise."

Civil society organisations and survivors have long criticised the government for its slow pace and lack of transparency in addressing the Gukurahundi massacres, during which thousands of civilians were killed by the Fifth Brigade in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands between 1983 and 1987.

Many are calling for the establishment of an independent truth commission, arguing that government-led processes may lack the objectivity and accountability required to uncover the full truth and deliver justice.

While the outreach programme marks a rare official attempt to engage directly with victims and survivors, critics remain sceptical about whether it will result in meaningful outcomes.

Nonetheless, traditional leaders and some community members see the programme as an important step toward healing, provided it is handled with genuine intent, transparency, and adequate support.

For now, all eyes are on the National Council of Chiefs' upcoming meeting, as survivors wait for the long-promised opportunity to finally speak-and be heard.