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Zapu condemns chiefs
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The opposition Zapu party has criticised traditional leaders reportedly demanding excessive allowances to participate in government-led Gukurahundi hearings in the Matabeleland region.
The public hearings, commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and led by the Chiefs Council of Zimbabwe, aim to address atrocities committed during the Gukurahundi era. However, reports suggest that the process has been hampered by leaders requesting substantial remuneration. Allegedly, chiefs demanded US$4,000 a month in cash and hundreds of litres of fuel, although arrangements for refuelling at selected service stations were later agreed upon. Some leaders are also said to have requested Starlink kits for their homesteads, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as many teams reportedly include close relatives and friends.
Zapu spokesperson Brian Ncube condemned the demands, calling them a stark reminder of the disregard for Gukurahundi victims. "The chiefs' demands for hefty allowances, Starlink kits, and fuel coupons are a clear indication that they are more interested in lining their pockets than in providing justice and closure to the victims and their families," Ncube said. He further criticised the secrecy of the hearings and the exclusion of the Midlands province, describing it as an attempt to downplay the scale of the killings.
Ncube called for a more transparent and inclusive process, emphasising the need for justice, accountability, and reparations for victims across Zimbabwe and abroad. "To the chiefs involved in this sham process, we say: your greed and insensitivity are a betrayal of the trust placed in you by the people. You are a shame to the traditional leadership institution and a stain on the dignity of our culture," he added.
Council of Chiefs President Chief Matshane Khumalo, however, dismissed the claims linking traditional leaders to excessive allowance demands.
The Gukurahundi era, during which the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade carried out operations in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people, according to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. Critics have argued that the campaign was a step towards establishing a one-party state, while the late former President Robert Mugabe described it as a "moment of madness" but never formally apologised for the killings.
The public hearings, commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and led by the Chiefs Council of Zimbabwe, aim to address atrocities committed during the Gukurahundi era. However, reports suggest that the process has been hampered by leaders requesting substantial remuneration. Allegedly, chiefs demanded US$4,000 a month in cash and hundreds of litres of fuel, although arrangements for refuelling at selected service stations were later agreed upon. Some leaders are also said to have requested Starlink kits for their homesteads, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as many teams reportedly include close relatives and friends.
Zapu spokesperson Brian Ncube condemned the demands, calling them a stark reminder of the disregard for Gukurahundi victims. "The chiefs' demands for hefty allowances, Starlink kits, and fuel coupons are a clear indication that they are more interested in lining their pockets than in providing justice and closure to the victims and their families," Ncube said. He further criticised the secrecy of the hearings and the exclusion of the Midlands province, describing it as an attempt to downplay the scale of the killings.
Ncube called for a more transparent and inclusive process, emphasising the need for justice, accountability, and reparations for victims across Zimbabwe and abroad. "To the chiefs involved in this sham process, we say: your greed and insensitivity are a betrayal of the trust placed in you by the people. You are a shame to the traditional leadership institution and a stain on the dignity of our culture," he added.
Council of Chiefs President Chief Matshane Khumalo, however, dismissed the claims linking traditional leaders to excessive allowance demands.
The Gukurahundi era, during which the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade carried out operations in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people, according to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. Critics have argued that the campaign was a step towards establishing a one-party state, while the late former President Robert Mugabe described it as a "moment of madness" but never formally apologised for the killings.
Source - Southern Eye
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