Source: Gukurahundi: Mujuru vows solution – NewZimbabwe 18/06/2016
LIKE other political parties seeking support from the region, former Vice President Joice Mujuru used the emotive Gukurahundi massacres when she made her first appearance in Bulawayo as Zimbabwe People First party leader.
Addressing about 2,000 supporters at Stanley Hall on Saturday, Mujuru promised to deal with the controversial issue.
Mujuru was accompanied by the party`s interim national coordinator, Dzikamai Mavhaire and former cabinet minister Sylvester Nguni among others.
However, other top officials such as Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo were absent.
The ex-VP tried but struggled with some Ndebele words which did not enthuse sections of the crowd while her interpreter drew boos when he misinterpreted sections of her speech.
But the former vice president was cheered when she talked about the ailing economy, corruption and Gukurahundi.
“Our country is struggling to deal with the problems that arose as a result of the disturbances that we had before independence and after,” she said.
“We want ensure that we bring unity among Zimbabweans. We have many adults who have no national identity cards due to the post-independence disturbances.
“This is part of what has made us come to Bulawayo for this rally.”
The Gukurahundi massacres saw some 20,000 civilians killed when then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe deployed a specially trained army unit after dissidents in the Matebeleland and Midlands regions in the early 1980s.
Anger remains over the atrocities which Mugabe has refused to address with fears the issue could plunge the country into further conflict when the Zanu PF strongman leaves office.
Mugabe has not apologised for the killings and his government has done nothing to address the concerns of victims and survivors, with little prospect alleged perpetrators will be made accountable.
Recently, the 92-yeard-old leader curiously warned that moves by war veterans to ensure vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeds him would lead to a similar conflict.
Meanwhile, while promising to bring closure to victims and survivors of the atrocities, Mujuru said her first priority was to unseat Mugabe.
She challenged opposition political parties to put aside their differences and join hands to remove Mugabe and his Zanu PF party from power.
“As opposition parties we should maximise on similarities with other democratic forces,” she said.
“We should find where we are missing each other and where we are finding each other. Why should we spend time as leaders fighting for positions when people are suffering out there?”
Present at the rally were officials from the opposition People`s Democratic Party, led by the Secretary General, Gorden Moyo.
Mujuru also gave short shrift to Zanu PF’s claims that the collapse of the country’s economy was due to sanctions imposed by the West.
She said corruption was the real cancer affecting the country, adding that rampant graft and lack of government interest in curbing it had forced foreign investors to flee Zimbabwe.
COMMENTS
Well said, firstly people need to fight for our liberation, liberation from people who lied to us that we are free only to turn our country into a private property. It’s true we can talk of differences but what could that help us when our children are treated like second hand citizens. Truly speaking they is no one who never been accustomed to Zanu Pf, even Tsvangirai, once supported it and ate on the same table with Mugabe, but after some time he realised he was once used. Ex combatants supported him and even anointed him as their leader, but little did they know that one day he will mistreat them only to shield his family. Opposition party’s tried to dislodge him without success, not because they can not but because of their selfishness, they can’t unite because every want to rule. To all people supportin the so called Zanu Pf, are you supportin the system or you supportin any individual. Fair enough suppose you supportin an individual, someone who regards you and your children as second hand citizens. Suppose we are supporting the system, a system where some people are more equal than others. My fellow Zimbabwean, we need to unite and fight against this system, the system where the Government promised us wonders only to find ourselves beggars. Companies are closing down, people are working without being paid, anyone who challenge the status qou, is being arrested. Is this democracy? Pause for thought!!!
Well said. It’s time we put our stupid differences aside and unite to sweep the country clean before we rearrange the furniture.