Dabengwa misses out on UK Gukurahundi Indaba Talk

ZAPU's Dr Dumiso Dabengwa  has missed out on sharing the stage with the vibrant and eloquent Mzila at a grand event scheduled for 3 November 2018 in Luton, UK (Post Code LU3 1BS). This follows denial of a visa for the Zapu leader by the UK government working hand in glove with the Mnangwagwa administration. The Zapu leader was due to fly to the UK about six months ago with his compatriot Moses Mzila but both were not issued visas on time. They ended up missing their flights and lost ticket fares in the process.  Fortunately for Mzila his visa was issued hence his arrival in the UK this week, courtesy  of the 1893 Human Rights Movement (HRM) which has had to meet a  huge proportion of the travel and living expenses of the speaker while in the UK. Thembani Dube,  Edfil Mdluli and colleagues should be applauded for their perseverance in making this event happen.

Zapu wishes the organisers and all those who will attend a successful event. In the same vein, Zapu is calling for all its UK based members and supporters to attend the event en masse.  Zapu is also encouraging all other regional and national groupings to remind their members to attend this historic event to be held in the UK in the post-Mugabe era.  Zapu would have liked to send a representative from the homeland to replace Dabengwa after his visa was denied but the organisers were faced with other challenges and could not accommodate the request to find a replacement for Dabengwa in time for this trip. It is hoped that a UK based Zapu cadre will be able to fill the big shoes and take to the podium to deliver Dabengwa's speech which should reiterate Zapu's position on this thorny issue that cannot be wished away.

The question is why the UK government has sided with the Mnangagwa junta in denying Dabengwa the opportunity to honour the invitation to address this issue and lay bare the shenanigans and inhuman torture and mass murder of the innocent people of Matabeleland and Midlands mainly and other Zapu strongholds in the 1980s. Zapu and the people still bear those scars to this day. There is none more qualified than Dr Dabengwa and Moses Mzila to speak on this topic as they have first-hand experiences of the genocide committed in the attempt to create a de facto one party state in Zimbabwe.  What does the British hold against Zapu and its leaders?  Could it be that they have never forgiven Zapu and its military wing , Zpra,  for bringing down the British Viscount resulting in the loss of the  'more valued innocent few British lives' as opposed to the thousands of innocent black lives lost in those years of protracted combat in the then Rhodesian pariah state? While the loss of a single innocent life or limb is regrettable, it should be acknowledged that this is a recognised by-product of war. It is Zapu's wish that the British government embraces a more grown up attitude and maturity in the way it views Zapu and its leaders.  Zapu's perceived sinning against the British establishment pales into insignificance compared to Zanu's gross failure to govern and its atrocious human rights record. Yet surprisingly the British government is quick to embrace Zanu and its leaders including the current highly militarised state in Zimbabwe.

"Zapu has been consistent in fighting for true democracy before and after Zimbabwe's independence" to quote one unnamed veteran politician from Matabeleland.

The spotlight rightfully falls on the legendary Moses MzIla, political activist, former minister in the slightly more progressive but shortlived  GNU and now president of his own political outfit, ANSA.  Moses Mzila is the right man to shoulder the heavy lifting in further exposing the role of the ruling cabal in Zimbabwe. More so as a former minister of the so called national healing portfolio, he should be able to shed more light on why peace and reconciliation remain elusive in Zimbabwe considering several initiatives to try and reverse Mugabe and Mnangagwa's legacy of divide and rule.

For those residing in the UK, all roads lead to Luton. This is a call to all those peace loving people from the Motherland who wish for a meaningful closure of the sad and tragic chapter that took place during the Gukurahundi era in Zimbabwe. This is the time to share some of the painful truths about Gukurahundi as told from the victims' perspective. The other truth from the perpetrators' perspective is long overdue as the perpetrators remain stubborn and protected by the silent international community. The truth shall come out one day to free both victim and perpetrator from this mental and emotional bondage.  It starts with Moses Mzila today. Nampa abantwabakho and  as one of the more consistent leaders from Matabeleland region, a lot is expected from Mzila today.

Over to you Honourable Moses Mzila.

The writer is a Zapu cadre  writing in her  personal  capacity and she can be contacted at ntsikane@yahoo.com