Zimbabwe govt accused of tribal bias in disaster response

The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has launched a scathing attack on the Zimbabwean government, accusing it of systemic tribal discrimination and selective compassion in its handling of national tragedies.

In a strongly worded statement, MRP leader Mqondisi Moyo said the government's differing responses to two major road accidents - the Esigodini crash of November 14, 2023, which claimed 22 lives, and the Polokwane tragedy of October 12, 2025, which killed 36 Zimbabweans - exposed deep-rooted bias within the state.

Moyo described the Esigodini disaster as a "chilling testament to moral decay, tribal prejudice, and institutional rot" within Zimbabwe's governance system. He argued that the lack of a coordinated government response to the Esigodini crash reflected "deliberate humiliation" of the people of Matabeleland.

"When the dust settled on that horrific night, there was no swift government intervention, no coordinated rescue effort, no ministerial statement of sympathy," said Moyo. "Instead, the bodies of our brothers and sisters were loaded onto an open lorry like discarded cargo, ferried away without dignity or compassion."

He contrasted this with the state's rapid and well-resourced response to the Polokwane accident in South Africa, where the government mobilised funds, sent senior officials to assist bereaved families, and organised a convoy of branded hearses to repatriate the victims' remains.

"In stark and painful contrast, for the 22 Esigodini travellers, there was no declaration of a national disaster, no emergency mobilisation, and no ministerial visit," he said. "An open lorry was sent to the accident scene to pile up the lifeless bodies of our people like baggage, covered with torn blankets and plastic sheets. Their dignity was stripped in death, just as it had been denied in life."

Moyo argued that this disparity illustrated a "hierarchy of human worth," in which government empathy and recognition were determined by tribe and region. He said such selective concern underscored the MRP's long-standing call for self-determination in Matabeleland.

"Self-determination is not rebellion - it is a universal human right," he said. "Mthwakazi's demand is not for division, but for justice and restoration - the freedom to govern ourselves and to protect our people."

The MRP has consistently accused the government of marginalising Matabeleland through economic neglect, cultural suppression, and lack of equitable representation. Moyo said the Esigodini tragedy was another reminder of why many in the region feel alienated from the state.