State uses MOPA to stop gukurahundi talks

The government has once again prevented a public meeting organised by a coalition of political parties and civil society groups to discuss the Gukurahundi killings in Matabeleland and the Midlands during the 1980s. This marks the second such disruption within a month.

The gathering, slated for October 5 at Stanley Square in Bulawayo, was prohibited by the Bulawayo West District police command. In a letter to the organisers, Chief Superintendent K. Nyaumwe cited violations of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) as justification. "I have noted with dismay that following a meeting I held with Samukele Hadebe on August 30, and my subsequent reply, you disregarded [the law] and submitted a notice which does not meet its provisions," Nyaumwe wrote.

Members of the coalition strongly refuted the claim. Cosmas Ncube of the Progressive Alliance Unions (PAMU) argued that the government is using the law to hide its past actions. "When we look at MOPA, there is nothing that authorises them to stop us from holding meetings," Ncube said. "We complied with the law by notifying the police in writing and on time. The government is so desperate to conceal their own criminal behaviour."

Ncube also criticised state-led hearings on Gukurahundi, which are being conducted under the auspices of traditional leaders and a 14-member panel. He described the process as incomplete and one-sided, noting that perpetrators have not been held accountable. "Why are they rushing the process now after the chiefs have been silent all these years? There is no Act of Parliament that authorises this collaboration with chiefs," he said.

The Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, carried out by the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade under the late former president Robert Mugabe, resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people, primarily targeting Zapu supporters. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who played a role during that period, promised open debate on the subject after taking office following the 2017 coup. However, his government continues to restrict public discussions on the issue, drawing criticism from victims and civil society groups.