Opinion / Letters
An open letter to the people of Zimbabwe
29 Apr 2014 at 10:17hrs | Views
This letter serves as my request for apologies to you all following the article I published on the 26th of this month, titled, The British engineered the Gukurahundi. I did that with the vision of maintaining the status quo of a united Zimbabwe, but I am a little disappointed because my attempts further divided our beautiful nation.
Every one of you must be aware that the Gukurahundi issue does not only tear us apart but it is also a night mare in the everyday lives of those who perpetrated it and therefore upon their command, I published that article.
Therefore may I take this chance to clear my conscience on the Gukurahundi issue. Gukurahundi indeed happened as prophesied on the 1979 Zanu PF drafted Grand plan. It shall be an open truth that indeed Gukurahundi targeted citizens in western Zimbabwe simply because of their die hard support to Joshua Nkomo's PF Zapu, which posed a serious threat to Zanu PF because of their military strength and superiority. Having beaten the Rhodesian Front hands down, downing 2 viscount passenger planes and bombing the shell depot in Harare, the Zipra forces, became the real snakes highlighted in the Grand Plan and that worsened the relationship between the Zapu and the Rhodesian front and thus up to this day Matebeleland people are not favourites to the British. Hence the British had a hand in the engineering of Gukurahundi. It is the reason why the Mechanized Regiment and the 5 Brigade got mounted at Kwekwe because they had fears over the Zipras. So those battalions are still there to this day guarding the possible invasion of Matebelelanders into Mashonaland.
The issue of Gukurahundi cannot be mistaken for other people other than Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Perence Shiri, Sydney Sekeremayi, Enos Nkala etc, with the help of both the British and the North Korea. To start with, Zapu was completely disarmed during the cease-fire in 1980. Scores of trains, loaded to the brim transported Zapu arms from various camps through the Vic Falls border posts. Frankly Zapu had nothing at hand to start the war with.Zapu had no intentions of taking up arms against Zanu because Joshua Nkomo was a true nationalist, who wouldn't harm even his worst enermy of same citizenship. Indeed Zapu possessed the most powerful weapons that could defeat any army in Africa but all were taken away during the cease-fire. An example of that is the artillery in the Kwekwe Mechanized Regiment under Pual Chima and David Sigauke. That artillery was taken away from Zapu and even to this day the armies there have badges different from the rest of the armies country wide, written "ASESABI LUTHO". Therefore justifying the issue of Gukurahundi in a manner that portrays that Zapu as equal genociders as Zanu is simply lunatic and I apologise for my part in crafting this propaganda material.
Who called the killings of the people of Matebeleland, ‘The Moment of Madness" and why? That alone shows who is accountable for the killings. Anyone who disagrees with me on that one can watch the Panorama Documentaries on Gukurahundi. At one stage Sydney Sekeremayi the then Minister of Defence was interviewed by a British Journalist with regard to the deployment of what had been labeled the Shona troops in Matebeleland and in his answer he agreed to deploying the only Shona speaking troops whom he said were loyal to the government.
With this I know I have put my life in serious danger as my sentiments were not only meant to try and instill unity amongst the Zimbabweans but also to promote the launch of a new organization meant to shift the pursuit of Gukurahundi Justice that the Johannesburg based organization are seeking, to another direction. May I take this time to enlighten you that sometime this week or in the upcoming week, a Zanu PF funded organization, to be championing the Gukurahundi issue is going to be launched in Johannesburg only aiming at disturbing and blocking the justice pursuit of Gukurahundi by those already on the field. So guard against it!
I apologise for my irresponsible article.
Every one of you must be aware that the Gukurahundi issue does not only tear us apart but it is also a night mare in the everyday lives of those who perpetrated it and therefore upon their command, I published that article.
Therefore may I take this chance to clear my conscience on the Gukurahundi issue. Gukurahundi indeed happened as prophesied on the 1979 Zanu PF drafted Grand plan. It shall be an open truth that indeed Gukurahundi targeted citizens in western Zimbabwe simply because of their die hard support to Joshua Nkomo's PF Zapu, which posed a serious threat to Zanu PF because of their military strength and superiority. Having beaten the Rhodesian Front hands down, downing 2 viscount passenger planes and bombing the shell depot in Harare, the Zipra forces, became the real snakes highlighted in the Grand Plan and that worsened the relationship between the Zapu and the Rhodesian front and thus up to this day Matebeleland people are not favourites to the British. Hence the British had a hand in the engineering of Gukurahundi. It is the reason why the Mechanized Regiment and the 5 Brigade got mounted at Kwekwe because they had fears over the Zipras. So those battalions are still there to this day guarding the possible invasion of Matebelelanders into Mashonaland.
The issue of Gukurahundi cannot be mistaken for other people other than Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Perence Shiri, Sydney Sekeremayi, Enos Nkala etc, with the help of both the British and the North Korea. To start with, Zapu was completely disarmed during the cease-fire in 1980. Scores of trains, loaded to the brim transported Zapu arms from various camps through the Vic Falls border posts. Frankly Zapu had nothing at hand to start the war with.Zapu had no intentions of taking up arms against Zanu because Joshua Nkomo was a true nationalist, who wouldn't harm even his worst enermy of same citizenship. Indeed Zapu possessed the most powerful weapons that could defeat any army in Africa but all were taken away during the cease-fire. An example of that is the artillery in the Kwekwe Mechanized Regiment under Pual Chima and David Sigauke. That artillery was taken away from Zapu and even to this day the armies there have badges different from the rest of the armies country wide, written "ASESABI LUTHO". Therefore justifying the issue of Gukurahundi in a manner that portrays that Zapu as equal genociders as Zanu is simply lunatic and I apologise for my part in crafting this propaganda material.
Who called the killings of the people of Matebeleland, ‘The Moment of Madness" and why? That alone shows who is accountable for the killings. Anyone who disagrees with me on that one can watch the Panorama Documentaries on Gukurahundi. At one stage Sydney Sekeremayi the then Minister of Defence was interviewed by a British Journalist with regard to the deployment of what had been labeled the Shona troops in Matebeleland and in his answer he agreed to deploying the only Shona speaking troops whom he said were loyal to the government.
With this I know I have put my life in serious danger as my sentiments were not only meant to try and instill unity amongst the Zimbabweans but also to promote the launch of a new organization meant to shift the pursuit of Gukurahundi Justice that the Johannesburg based organization are seeking, to another direction. May I take this time to enlighten you that sometime this week or in the upcoming week, a Zanu PF funded organization, to be championing the Gukurahundi issue is going to be launched in Johannesburg only aiming at disturbing and blocking the justice pursuit of Gukurahundi by those already on the field. So guard against it!
I apologise for my irresponsible article.
Source - Brian Sherif
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