Matabeleland Community Snub Mnangagwa led Gukurahundi Genocide hearings

THE Gukurahundi hearings are moving in a snail pace across the Matabeleland region, with a total of 170 interviews having been held by various chiefs to date.

The initiative, spearheaded by the chief surviving perpetrator President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s under the Second Republic, seeks to address and bring closure to post-independence disturbances that rocked Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands Province in the 1980s.

Giving an update on his X account, Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, revealed that to date, five chiefs each have held interviews in both Matabeleland North and South Provinces.

In Matabeleland South 130 interviews have been held, while in Matabeleland North, 40 interviews have been held.

Chief Masendu in Bulilima district, Matabeleland South province, has held the highest number of interviews at 83.

Other chiefs in Matabeleland South that have held interviews are; Chief Hobodo (Mangwe)-22, Chief Manguba (Bulilima)-12, Chief Nhlamba (Gwanda)-10 and Chief Bango (Mangwe)- 3.

Chiefs that have held interviews in Matabeleland North are Chief Magama (Tsholotsho)-13, Chief Nkalakhata (Nkayi)-10, Chief Sinampande (Binga)-7, Chief Ndondo (Mbembesi)-5 and Chief Silachilaba (Binga)-5.

President Mnangagwa entrusted traditional leaders with leading the process of addressing the Gukurahundi issue as part of broader national healing efforts yet they are the victims of the genocide.

He officially launched the Gukurahundi public hearings programme last July, empowering traditional leaders to conduct the hearings.

Initiated in February 2019, the Government’s approach seeks to resolve the Gukurahundi issue through an internal, home-grown process that reinforces national unity.

Meanwhile, Original ZAPU was in Nkayi and they have issued a statement from the Zenka Community who are against the Traditional leadership led Gukurahundi Genocide outreach program.

1.0. Introduction
On the 5th of July, 2025 the O-ZAPU team went to Nkayi, Katasa area to mobilize them to join the O-ZAPU Party. Asignificant number of villagers, numbering plus minus 50 people attended that meeting. Several presentations were made by;

• • • • •
  The Organizing Secretary. Women of Vision Chairlady.
  Youth Representative. Interim Secretary General. Interim President.
  After the presentations, the Community was eager to air their views regarding the attempt that had been made by local Chief to commence the Gukurahundi hearings. The following is what transpired on this topic.
  1.1. The Gukurahundi Hearings
  The Katasa community told the O-ZAPU delegation that they were not pleased by the way the Gukurahundi hearings were being handled. The Meeting told the Meeting that they had dismissed the local chief when he tried to get the hearings to commence.
  They said that;
  1) They rejected the chief’s involvement in the Gukurahundi hearings as they were the ones that had their people killed and massacred.
  2) That process was flawed and it actually opened up their wounds. As such that programme had to be stopped immediately.
  3) They needed government to quickly process the deceased parent’s children their birth certificates and identity cards for them to participate in society’s activities.
  4) For them to heal, the government had to build schools, clinies, roads, dip-tanks, rebuild their destroyed homes and replace their cattle that were killed.
  1.2. Resolutions
  The O-ZAPU Meeting resolved that all members would tirelessly get as many people joining O-ZAPU as possible.
  The operations of O-ZAPU were to be guided by a set of common standards, rules And regulations which are as follows; Equal opportunity for individual candidates competing for elections.
  O-ZAPU leadership to confirm the appointment of the individuals to office. Transparency ni campaign financing and accountability for the resources was needed.
  •
  Access to mass media.
  •
  Effective and efficient complaints and appeals system for speedy settlements of disputes.
  •
  Set-up Branch District and Province Office bearers before December, 2025.
  •
  Work towards the March, 2026 Congress.
  •
  Communicate the O-ZAPU position on the administration of the Gukurahundi Hearings which were as follows;

1. Stop the Gukurahundi Hearings spearheaded by the perpetrators of the genocide. The process was flawed and actually opened up the wounds which they suffered.
2. The Government to process the identity cards and birth certificates of the children of the massacred victims for them to participate in the daily activities.
3. The Government was ot compensate the victims by building clinics, schools, roads, dip-tanks, houses and replacement of their lost cattle for them