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Another false start to the Gukurahundi genocide hearings
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Pressure is mounting on the Zimbabwean government following yet another postponement of the long-awaited Gukurahundi community hearings, which failed to commence as scheduled on Thursday, June 26.
The hearings, to be led by traditional chiefs alongside a 14-member local panel of elders, religious leaders, women, youth representatives, and counsellors, were expected to mark a turning point in the national reconciliation process. However, the process stalled again, drawing criticism from civic groups and victims' representatives who accuse the government of lacking genuine commitment.
In an interview with CITE, Chief Mtshane Khumalo, President of the National Council of Chiefs, confirmed that everything was in place for the launch, but President Emmerson Mnangagwa's attendance at a separate event in Matabeleland on the same day derailed proceedings.
"All is now set and in place. The only disturbance to the beginning of the process was that the president was presiding over another event right here in the Matabeleland region on the same day. We will be giving you updates soon on when the process will start," said Chief Khumalo.
However, behind the scenes, some chiefs expressed concerns over a lack of operational support, revealing anonymously to CITE that they have not received the necessary resources to conduct the hearings.
Matabeleland-based advocacy group Ibhetshu Lika Zulu lambasted the government for the continued delays, accusing authorities of insincerity and manipulation.
"You cannot train people from communities and go to the media to announce the beginning of a process and yet it does not begin at the stipulated time. This shows lack of commitment from the perpetrators," said the group's Secretary General, Mbuso Fuzwayo.
Fuzwayo also criticised the government's closed-door approach, warning that secrecy undermines transparency and justice.
"The whole secrecy is just a ploy by the perpetrator to hide the role they played during the genocide. They do not want the world to know. This is just micro-managing the process by shutting out the media," he said.
"This process is supposed to be victim-centred and all-inclusive. The nation must know what happened and what will be done to resolve the situation, but the government wants to act like it is dealing with imbeciles. You can't prescribe medication for wounds that you inflicted."
The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme was launched by President Mnangagwa in July 2023, touted as a bold step toward truth-telling, reconciliation, and healing for the survivors of one of Zimbabwe's darkest chapters.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe estimates that over 20,000 civilians were killed in the early 1980s by the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade, deployed by then-President Robert Mugabe ostensibly to suppress dissidents in Matabeleland and the Midlands. Critics argue the real objective was to eliminate opposition and establish a one-party state.
Since then, various civil society groups, church leaders, and international human rights organisations have called for a truth and justice process that includes full transparency, public acknowledgment of abuses, and accountability for those responsible.
Despite these demands, the hearings continue to be delayed, raising fresh questions about the sincerity of the government's intentions.
With expectations high and tensions still simmering decades after the atrocities, the government is under increasing pressure to move beyond rhetoric and deliver justice to victims who have waited too long.
The hearings, to be led by traditional chiefs alongside a 14-member local panel of elders, religious leaders, women, youth representatives, and counsellors, were expected to mark a turning point in the national reconciliation process. However, the process stalled again, drawing criticism from civic groups and victims' representatives who accuse the government of lacking genuine commitment.
In an interview with CITE, Chief Mtshane Khumalo, President of the National Council of Chiefs, confirmed that everything was in place for the launch, but President Emmerson Mnangagwa's attendance at a separate event in Matabeleland on the same day derailed proceedings.
"All is now set and in place. The only disturbance to the beginning of the process was that the president was presiding over another event right here in the Matabeleland region on the same day. We will be giving you updates soon on when the process will start," said Chief Khumalo.
However, behind the scenes, some chiefs expressed concerns over a lack of operational support, revealing anonymously to CITE that they have not received the necessary resources to conduct the hearings.
Matabeleland-based advocacy group Ibhetshu Lika Zulu lambasted the government for the continued delays, accusing authorities of insincerity and manipulation.
"You cannot train people from communities and go to the media to announce the beginning of a process and yet it does not begin at the stipulated time. This shows lack of commitment from the perpetrators," said the group's Secretary General, Mbuso Fuzwayo.
Fuzwayo also criticised the government's closed-door approach, warning that secrecy undermines transparency and justice.
"The whole secrecy is just a ploy by the perpetrator to hide the role they played during the genocide. They do not want the world to know. This is just micro-managing the process by shutting out the media," he said.
"This process is supposed to be victim-centred and all-inclusive. The nation must know what happened and what will be done to resolve the situation, but the government wants to act like it is dealing with imbeciles. You can't prescribe medication for wounds that you inflicted."
The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme was launched by President Mnangagwa in July 2023, touted as a bold step toward truth-telling, reconciliation, and healing for the survivors of one of Zimbabwe's darkest chapters.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe estimates that over 20,000 civilians were killed in the early 1980s by the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade, deployed by then-President Robert Mugabe ostensibly to suppress dissidents in Matabeleland and the Midlands. Critics argue the real objective was to eliminate opposition and establish a one-party state.
Since then, various civil society groups, church leaders, and international human rights organisations have called for a truth and justice process that includes full transparency, public acknowledgment of abuses, and accountability for those responsible.
Despite these demands, the hearings continue to be delayed, raising fresh questions about the sincerity of the government's intentions.
With expectations high and tensions still simmering decades after the atrocities, the government is under increasing pressure to move beyond rhetoric and deliver justice to victims who have waited too long.
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