Latest News Editor's Choice


Opinion / Columnist

Shona supremacists don't want the world to know that they killed Ndebeles

24 Oct 2017 at 09:12hrs | Views
They refer to Matabeleland genocide as mere "disturbances", or. "moment of madness". They minimise the numbers of the dead. The survivors of the cruel annihilation process are prevented from remembering the victims of the genocide and those who dare talk about it are shouted down and labelled as divisive tribalists. In some cases, they are charged with treason. All because gukurahundists do not want the world to know that they killed innocent Matebeles.

Shona supremacists and gukurahundists want to present themselves as peaceful, accommodative and loving advocates of democracy and unity yet they are hateful, intolerant tribalist who kill fellow blacks because they do not belong to their tribe.

In the latest desperate attempt by Zimbabwe state security apparatus to hide Matabeleland genocide from the curious eyes of the world, heavily armed riot police, CIO, CIDs and army intelligence mounted a roadblock on the road leading to Bhalagwe to block Ibhetshu Likazulu and other Matabeles from remembering victims of the genocide at Bhalagwe.

They did it in a very rude and crude manner. One policeman, obviously too fat to be a cop, kicked a candle before Dumiso Dabengwa could light it.

They have no respect for the former minister of home affairs and Zipra intelligence chief the very people who brought Zimbabwe independence. How could they when they had no respect for Joshua Nkomo whom they once forced into exile and wished him to die there.

They have no respect for VP Mphoko, Thokozani Khupe and Sipepa Nkomo. They hate Jonathan Moyo with passion. They have no respect for any Matebele.


Is Matabeleland genocide "disturbances" or " moment of madness" as perpetrators would like us to believe?

According to UN convention of genocide Article 2. It is any of the following acts committed with intent to destroying whole or part a national, ethical, racial or religious group as such: killing members of the group,causing serious bodily harm or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately infliction on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part, imposing measures intended to prevent  births within the group and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Alain Destexhe described genocide as the gravest and greatest of the crimes against humanity.

Clearly, Matabeleland genocide is not disturbances, a moment of madness or child's play. If it was the case, we as Matabeles  would allow this moment of madness to visit us so that we go to Mashonaland and kill more than 40 000 innocent people of Shona origin, rape more than 100 000 women and schoolgirls, torture and maim more than 100 000 people, burn down more than 100 000 homes and displace more than 1million people.

After the moment of madness then keep prison and court doors open to try all Shonas who speak out. Be ready on the sidelines with tribalist tags to lift them up against any complaining Shona and declare them as unwanted divisive elements.

Would the Shonas still call it disturbances or moment of madness? As we know them, they would run as far as Britain and America to tell everyone who cares to listen how the "most peaceful" humans in Southern Africa were being killed by Ndeeres.

Anyone who commits genocide is a cold-blooded murderer and criminal who belongs behind bars. Not an achiever deserving promotion and hero status as we see it happen in Zimbabwe where Matabeleland genocide perpetrators are praised as dear heroes and buried at heroes acre. Any wonder why the fake state called Zimbabwe is now crumbling to give birth to The Republic of Matabeleland? The ground is shacking Zimbabwe will fall like Rhodesia.

Such actions by Shona supremacists and gukurahundists this week are some of the reasons why MLO treats with contempt any Matabele leader who falls down on his knees in apology at the mere mention of the word "tribalist" by Shona supremacist without even demanding to know the meaning of  the word.


You will never find Jews apologising to the Nazis for killing them. You will never find Tutsis of Rwanda apologising to Hutus for murdering them and you will never find South Africans apologising to the apartheid perpetrators for discriminating against them. Why should Matebeles bow their heads before the killers of their innocent relatives and apologise for unknown crimes they never committed? No no no! Shona supremacists must go to the nearest tree and hang. Who cares? Instead, we must strike fear into the heart of Shona supremacist and that should be the aim of every Matebele.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing", Edmund Burke. Is there any good people left in Mashonaland and the world? The silence is deafening. The so-called policemen of the world looked away when Shona supremacists murdered Matabeles. They still look on the side as genocide perpetrators continue to justify their evil acts, prevent survivors from remembering the victims and threaten second genocide leaving weak victims at the mercy of the gun toting murderers. We hope they will maintain their silence and not intervene to stop us from achieving our independence.

If there are any good people in Mashonaland let them genuinely denounce Matabeleland genocide, not for the purpose of vote harvesting. Let us see them not only condemn genocide perpetrators in their midst but identify and drag them to the international courts for prosecution.It is then that we would be encouraged to embrace shonas as brothers and human beings.

Matebeles should know that we are on our own. Groveling at the feet of Shona supremacist, complaining about our plight every day, running to exile or being a good law abiding citizens of Zimbabwe will never bring us independence. No independence was ever achieved through abiding by the laws of the oppressor. No oppressor will ever approve a law or anything that will work against him.

One of the fine revolutionaries in Southern Africa, Nelson Mandela who travelled this road before us once said, "there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

He who is afraid of death is afraid of freedom!
Izenzo kungemazwi!

Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs

Source - Israel Dube
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.