Use of Gukurahundi Symbols by MDC-T is in bad taste

ZUPA, which claims to represents the interests of millions of economically disadvantaged people, speaks for the majority of ordinary Zimbabwean citizens who stand to benefit from a peaceful, free and fair election that should bring the political and economic crisis to an end said the use of red beret by the MDC-T is shocking and in bad taste as it reminds its followers what transpired during the Gukurahundi era.

ZUPA wrote a letter to SADC Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, GPA Partners, Zimbabwe, Organ of National Healing and Reconciliation SADC Facilitator on Zimbabwe, H E President J G Zuma regarding voicing its Gukurahundi concerns.

Excerpts of the Zupa statement below:
"Arguably, the biggest black spot in post Independence Zimbabwe is the Gukurahundi perpetrated by the 5th Brigade in the 1980s. Zimbabweans and in particular, survivor victims of the Gukurahundi, have struggled to move on from this chapter.

We therefore find it shocking and in bad taste that one of the political parties in Government, namely the Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has decided to use as their election regalia, the red beret which is a symbol of the 5th Brigade. The red beret remains, in the minds and eyes of the traumatised victims of the Gukurahundi, in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions, a symbol of brutality and invokes anger and fear. That is the perception.

We do not believe there is a deliberate effort on the part of the MDC-T to traumatise part of the voting community most of whom have continuously voted for the party.

We understand the mandate of SADC in ensuring that the election conditions in Zimbabwe are conducive to achieve a credible outcome. We now appeal to the summit to consider asking that all political parties are banned from using traumatic symbols that may trigger violence or fear in voters. Our views are as follows:
1. Political parties in the GNU have access to the SADC leadership and can assert their views, but during election time, we believe our members' concerns should be taken seriously as they are an actually measure of the feelings on the ground even when political party leaders may think of them as petty. History is littered with wrong decisions by popular but out of touch leaders.

2. One of the potential unintended consequences in allowing the red beret Gukurahundi symbol may be to spoil the peaceful environment that should exist at election time in the affected regions.

3. Our members who are victims of the Gukurahundi reserve a right to support the MDC-T and it is unfair on them for the party to use such a distasteful symbol during an election campaign in the villages and traumatised communities. We believe this is an unnecessary provocation.

4. Use of the red beret at election time or at any other time in Midlands and Matabeleland is against the spirit of national healing and reconciliation.

5. We do not understand why, out of all designs possible, the MDC-T have chosen a traumatic Gukurahundi symbol especially at a time when most of the talk is about the role of the security sector and the role of political violence. The country deserves a chance to move forward.

We are aware that the Gukurahundi itself is an issue outside your mandate, but the use of its symbols like the red beret is an issue that you have power to address in the best interest of ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe and the SADC Troika.

We hope you will find it appropriate to address this issue before it becomes a crisis.

Yours faithfully


ZUPA Team, Zimbabwe.
Email: zupanational@gmail.com