Paul Nyathi

Matabeleland activists have blasted Jenny Williams the leader of highly captured Matabeleland Collective for donating the Gukurahundi atrocities issue to Mnangagwa.

At a meeting she held on Saturday with Mnangagwa, the duo agreed that goverment will next month start exhuming and reburying victims of the post-independence disturbances which Mnangagwa presided over as State Security Minister at the time.

According to the deal, Mnangagwa will facilitate the issuance of birth certificates for children of some of the victims, including death certificates for those who died.

Matabeleland Collective is a grouping of non-governmental organisations from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South that have been tested and proven to be loyal to Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa has previously tried dragging chiefs from the Matabeleland region into the Matabeleland Corrective platform on the same issue, but was horribly let down by the chiefs who questioned the eligibility of the grouping in claiming to be representing Matabeleland.

Speaking on the outcomes of Saturday’s meeting, Ms Williams said they were happy that finally what was initially a draft proposal on paper will now be operationalised and help bring closure to Gukurahundi victims.

“This meeting was called so that we discuss the implementation matrix of our programme to address the challenges of the victims, which include issues to do with exhumation and issuance of birth and death certificates. We are ecstatic that the President has reaffirmed his commitment to these programmes as we start implementing them.

“I must, therefore, assure people in the various communities that we will be now coming to them to both engage and implement these programmes,” said Ms Williams.

Mnangagwa and Williams meeting has come under fire from people in Matabeleland who have blamed Williams for selling out on the region.

Speaking to ZimEye.com a Gukurahundi survivor, Mike Ncube of Bulawayo accused Williams of involving herself on an issue she no experience on.

“Who is this Jenny Williams you are talking about?” Ncube questioned.

“Has she even ever seen a grave of a Gukurahundi victim?”

“Mnangagwa is better, he saw fresh graves of the people immediately after killing them and dumping them like dogs,” bellowed Ncube.

Speaking to weekend media,Mthwakazi Republic Party leader Mqondisi Moyo warned Mnangagwa not to continue with agreements they have reached with Williams as they are not representative of the general thinking of the people of Matabeleland.

“What Mnangagwa should always know is that Jenni Williams and her Civic Society do not represent the interests of the Matabeleland and Midlands people alias Mthwakazi.”

Bulawayo pressure group, Ibhetshu Likazulu coordinator Mbuso Fuzwayo shared the same sentiments with Moyo.

“It (meeting) is a non-event, a sideshow after the attacking of Arch Bishop Ndlovu for speaking of the current human rights violations and the past genocide that has not been addressed.

Fuzwayo said Mnangagwa should instead hold his meetings with the affected people in the communities.

“These meetings are detached from communal needs,” he said.

“They do not represent victims in the villages because no consultations have been done with them.

He described those organisations involved in the meeting as sell-outs.

“Mnangagwa has simply demonstrated unprovoked ways how un-presidential and divisive he is. He has just displayed the unrepentant tribalist and genocidist he is,” said Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa.