By A Correspondent
A fierce political row has erupted between Zanu PF and Mthwakazi activists, with the ruling party accusing opposition groups and foreign embassies of plotting to derail the ongoing Gukurahundi hearings — a national process aimed at reconciliation and healing in Matabeleland.
On Saturday, Zanu PF activist Dereck Goto issued a strongly worded statement accusing ZAPU, the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), and foreign-backed NGOs of inciting unrest and threatening the integrity of the hearings.
“ZAPU, Mthwakazi, and their foreign backers are plotting to disrupt national reconciliation through threats, incitement, and foreign-sponsored sabotage,” said Goto.
“Let it be known: the Government will act decisively to defend this process and ensure the safety and dignity of all participants.”
Goto alleged that funds from the US and Swedish embassies were being funneled to several local organisations — including ZAPU, MRP, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Save Matabeleland Coalition, and South Africa’s Afro-Forum — under the guise of civic activism.
“These efforts, masked as activism, are part of a broader agenda to interfere in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs,” he claimed.
He specifically named Busani Sibindi of the Save Matabeleland Coalition as a key actor in the alleged foreign interference plot.
Goto also condemned ZAPU’s legal challenge against the hearings, which was dismissed by the courts.
“ZAPU’s court challenge — conveniently filed on the day of the hearings — was rightly dismissed. Justice Mutevedzi questioned why they waited until the last moment if they were genuinely aggrieved,” Goto noted.
“Sibangilizwe Nkomo, whose party is financially bankrupt, has once again exposed himself as a pawn of foreign interests.”
Turning his attention to Mthwakazi Republic Party, Goto issued a stern warning against alleged intimidation of traditional leaders and citizens involved in the hearings.
“The MRP is warned: your threats against Chiefs and participants are criminal and will be dealt with. Tribal politics and violence have no place in today’s Zimbabwe.”
Despite these accusations and rising tensions, Goto reiterated that the Government remains firmly committed to the national healing process.
“The process will proceed — orderly, dignified, and protected by the State. Treasury has already allocated US$1 million to support the hearings, with further funding to follow,” he said.
“Zimbabwe will not be derailed by relics, radicals, or their foreign sponsors. The healing process moves forward.”
The Gukurahundi hearings, initiated under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, are aimed at addressing the atrocities committed in the 1980s when thousands of civilians in Matabeleland and Midlands were killed during a military operation targeting alleged dissidents.
While the Government says the process is designed to foster unity, critics argue it lacks transparency, independence, and trust — with some accusing the state of trying to control the narrative while marginalising genuine voices of the affected communities.