News / National
Mthwakazi to protest at UN Office in Pretoria
02 Jul 2025 at 09:15hrs | Views
The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) is set to stage a demonstration outside the United Nations (UN) offices in Pretoria this Friday, July 4, as the party intensifies its calls for justice over the Gukurahundi atrocities and presses ahead with its long-standing demand for self-determination for the Matabeleland and Midlands regions of Zimbabwe.
MRP leader Mqondisi Moyo confirmed that the party had completed all logistical arrangements and had informed South African authorities about the planned protest. A formal notification and petition were also sent to UN Resident Coordinator Urika Richardson’s office in Pretoria.
In the petition dated June 30, Moyo expressed concern over the Zimbabwean government’s handling of the Gukurahundi outreach hearings, which were set to begin on June 26 but were delayed due to logistical issues. He criticised the process as opaque and potentially harmful to the victims’ quest for justice, arguing that the hearings, led by traditional leaders, lacked transparency and accountability.
Moyo highlighted that many victims of the Gukurahundi massacres remain stateless, homeless, and traumatised, both within Zimbabwe and abroad. He said the MRP was demanding justice and accountability, while rejecting what he described as the government’s efforts to suppress the truth and dilute legal efforts to seek compensation for victims and their families.
In his letter to the UN, Moyo called for urgent international intervention. He urged the global body to take immediate action to safeguard survivors, condemn the Zimbabwean government's approach, demand transparency in the hearings, and recognise the people of Matabeleland and Midlands' right to self-determination. He stated that the party’s push was anchored in international legal instruments and principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
The upcoming demonstration in Pretoria will begin in the morning in Marabastad and conclude at the UN office in the afternoon. Moyo said the demonstration was also a follow-up to the party’s earlier petitions, including a march to the UN office in 2021 and another submission made in November 2024. He noted that the UN had not responded to those previous efforts, prompting this renewed push.
Moyo’s remarks came as tensions around the Gukurahundi outreach process continue to rise. On Saturday, opposition party Zapu filed an urgent application at the Bulawayo High Court to block the hearings, arguing that the process, as currently structured, lacks legitimacy and fails to represent victims adequately. Zapu leader Sibangilizwe Nkomo questioned the 2019 agreement between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Matabeleland Collective, which paved the way for traditional chiefs to lead the national healing initiative. He said such an arrangement had no legal foundation and undermined the pursuit of genuine reconciliation.
Gukurahundi remains one of the darkest chapters in Zimbabwe’s post-independence history. An estimated 20,000 people were killed in the 1980s during a military crackdown carried out by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade under the command of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. While Mugabe later described the operation as "a moment of madness," he never formally apologised for the atrocities. Mnangagwa, who served as State Security Minister at the time, has since promised to address the legacy of the massacres, but critics argue that the government’s current approach lacks transparency, justice, and trust.
MRP leader Mqondisi Moyo confirmed that the party had completed all logistical arrangements and had informed South African authorities about the planned protest. A formal notification and petition were also sent to UN Resident Coordinator Urika Richardson’s office in Pretoria.
In the petition dated June 30, Moyo expressed concern over the Zimbabwean government’s handling of the Gukurahundi outreach hearings, which were set to begin on June 26 but were delayed due to logistical issues. He criticised the process as opaque and potentially harmful to the victims’ quest for justice, arguing that the hearings, led by traditional leaders, lacked transparency and accountability.
Moyo highlighted that many victims of the Gukurahundi massacres remain stateless, homeless, and traumatised, both within Zimbabwe and abroad. He said the MRP was demanding justice and accountability, while rejecting what he described as the government’s efforts to suppress the truth and dilute legal efforts to seek compensation for victims and their families.
In his letter to the UN, Moyo called for urgent international intervention. He urged the global body to take immediate action to safeguard survivors, condemn the Zimbabwean government's approach, demand transparency in the hearings, and recognise the people of Matabeleland and Midlands' right to self-determination. He stated that the party’s push was anchored in international legal instruments and principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
The upcoming demonstration in Pretoria will begin in the morning in Marabastad and conclude at the UN office in the afternoon. Moyo said the demonstration was also a follow-up to the party’s earlier petitions, including a march to the UN office in 2021 and another submission made in November 2024. He noted that the UN had not responded to those previous efforts, prompting this renewed push.
Moyo’s remarks came as tensions around the Gukurahundi outreach process continue to rise. On Saturday, opposition party Zapu filed an urgent application at the Bulawayo High Court to block the hearings, arguing that the process, as currently structured, lacks legitimacy and fails to represent victims adequately. Zapu leader Sibangilizwe Nkomo questioned the 2019 agreement between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Matabeleland Collective, which paved the way for traditional chiefs to lead the national healing initiative. He said such an arrangement had no legal foundation and undermined the pursuit of genuine reconciliation.
Gukurahundi remains one of the darkest chapters in Zimbabwe’s post-independence history. An estimated 20,000 people were killed in the 1980s during a military crackdown carried out by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade under the command of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. While Mugabe later described the operation as "a moment of madness," he never formally apologised for the atrocities. Mnangagwa, who served as State Security Minister at the time, has since promised to address the legacy of the massacres, but critics argue that the government’s current approach lacks transparency, justice, and trust.
Source - Southern Eye
