MRP criticises Zimbabwe’s election to UN Security Council

The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has strongly criticised Zimbabwe’s election to a non‑permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term, describing the development as “a betrayal of justice, memory and accountability”.


In a statement issued on Saturday, MRP president Mqondisi Moyo said the party did not view Zimbabwe’s election to the influential global body as a diplomatic achievement, but rather as a painful reminder of unresolved historical grievances and political tensions.

“The election of Zimbabwe to a non‑permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council has been celebrated by the ruling establishment in Harare as a diplomatic triumph,” Moyo said.

“To us, the people of Mthwakazi and all those who have suffered under decades of repression, exclusion, political violence and unresolved historical injustices, this development is neither a triumph nor a cause for celebration.”

Moyo said survivors of the Gukurahundi atrocities, civil society organisations, opposition parties and marginalised communities had for years appealed to the international community to acknowledge unresolved historical injustices in Zimbabwe. He argued that Zimbabwe’s election to the Security Council raised questions about accountability, governance and the country’s unresolved political disputes.

“The United Nations was founded on the principles of justice, human dignity, human rights and the protection of vulnerable peoples,” he said.

“It is therefore deeply disturbing that a government accused by its critics of failing to adequately address historical atrocities, suppressing dissent and undermining democratic processes should now be entrusted with a seat on the world’s most influential peace and security body.”

The MRP leader drew historical parallels between Zimbabwe’s previous terms on the Security Council and periods of national crisis, including the Gukurahundi era during the 1983–1984 term and the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme period during the 1991–1992 term.

He also linked Zimbabwe’s upcoming tenure to ongoing debates around governance, constitutional issues and self‑determination movements such as Mthwakazi.

Moyo further compared Zimbabwe’s situation to Somalia, which currently sits on the Security Council while facing unresolved tensions involving Somaliland.

“This raises an important question: can a state effectively participate in global discussions on peace, justice and self‑determination while refusing to meaningfully address comparable grievances within its own borders?” he said.

The MRP said Zimbabwe’s election to the Security Council did not erase unresolved grievances or demands for justice from communities affected by past political violence.

“Prestige cannot substitute for accountability. Recognition cannot replace justice,” Moyo said.

The party expressed disappointment with what it described as the international community’s tendency to prioritise governments over victims and diplomatic consensus over historical truth.

“We reject the notion that unresolved atrocities can simply be forgotten,” the statement said. “We reject the belief that international recognition should be granted without meaningful accountability.”

Moyo said the struggle for “justice, dignity and self‑determination” would continue despite Zimbabwe’s diplomatic success on the international stage.

“The people of Mthwakazi are not asking for sympathy. They are asking for justice,” he said.

Zimbabwe was elected to the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term this week, marking the country’s third tenure on the 15‑member body responsible for international peace and security.