Gukurahundi victims die without compensation

Victims and survivors of the Gukurahundi massacres have raised concern over the slow pace of the ongoing community hearings, questioning the outcomes of the process amid fears that many victims are dying before receiving compensation.

The hearings, which began last year, are being conducted in Matabeleland by traditional chiefs and panels of community members in areas affected by the atrocities.

Speaking in an interview, Chief Nalukoba of Hwange district said the meetings had stalled due to logistical challenges but were expected to resume soon.

"The meetings had stopped because of the non-availability of transport. We have been informed that we will be provided with coupons for fuel to continue with the work," he said.

Chief Nalukoba also revealed that there were outstanding allowances owed to teams working on the ground, but authorities had assured them these would be settled.

"There are arrears in terms of allowances for the teams on the ground, but we have been promised that they will get them," he said.

He said victims were increasingly concerned about delays in compensation, noting that many survivors were elderly and dying before the process was concluded.

"They want to know the timeframe for the whole process. They say time is not on their side, they are dying, and once they die, who is going to get the compensation since the reconciliation process has not been completed yet," he said.

One victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, urged the government to begin compensating those who have already been registered and interviewed.

"Some of us have been interviewed. The government should start with the first batch so that people can see whether the whole exercise is genuine or not," the victim said.

The victim added that some survivors were hesitant to participate until they saw tangible outcomes from earlier interviews, including clarity on compensation amounts and timelines.

Another victim echoed similar concerns, warning that delays could deny families any benefit.

"The process is taking too long. If we die before the completion of this process, our children will not be able to benefit from the exercise," the victim said.

The Gukurahundi refers to a period of mass killings that occurred in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands between 1983 and 1987, before the signing of the Unity Accord. The campaign primarily targeted the Ndebele ethnic group and supporters of the late opposition leader Joshua Nkomo.

In 1983, the late former President Robert Mugabe deployed an elite army unit trained by North Korea to suppress what the government described as dissident activity in Matabeleland. The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe estimates that about 20 000 people were killed during the violence.

When launching the current hearings, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said survivors would be interviewed through village-based processes aimed at addressing long-standing grievances and fostering reconciliation.