via Ngwena’s crocodile tears | The Zimbabwean 27 August 2014 by Jera
Last year, Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa was reportedly close to tears when he spoke about how he narrowly escaped hanging by the Rhodesian government. On that occasion he was speaking against the death penalty.
Last week, Mnangagwa reiterated the call to abolish capital punishment. He even refused to sign the paperwork that would have sanctioned the execution of 97 death row inmates. What a kind and sensitive man he is. Except history knows Mnangangwa – known as ‘Ngwena’ – was the minister of state security during the Gukurahundi massacres in which over 20,000 civilians were slaughtered and reportedly 60,000 women were raped by the Korean trained 5th Brigade.
Their only crime was not knowing the whereabouts of ‘the dissidents.’ Many who only knew about growing sorghum and rearing cattle were kraaled into grass huts and burned alive. When humans flesh burns, the fat crackles. The scent of burning hair and nails is detectable. The police, army and the CIO, headed by Mnangangwa, who murdered unarmed civilians would have had to be heartless to be able to do it again and again over a period of 10 years. If those that executed the kill order are heartless, those that gave the instruction must have been men of stone. Indeed they were, because in 2011 Mnangagwa dismissed Gukurahundi as a ‘non-event’.
Between 1988 and 2000, Emmerson Mnangagwa was minister of justice, happily signing off on papers that sent condemned prisoners to the gallows. He was no doubt a part of the constitution making process. He is a lawyer by profession and would have at some stage been involved in the drafting of the constitution, which upholds the death penalty. Mnangagwa is not really concerned about the barbarism of killing, as his record sufficiently illustrates.
There is no record of Mnangagwa being against the death penalty until recently. What he is concerned about now is winning the hearts of the electorate, as he eyes the presidency. Zanu (PF) has a reputation for the abuse of human rights – Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina, the 2008 election violence, the random and unwarranted searches of civilians at police roadblocks, the arrest and torture of journalists. Mnangagwa is no doubt thinking he impressed the people at Amnesty International through his support for the abolition of the death penalty.
COMMENTS
Not to mention the practices of the CIO when he was its Minister; that is the time it became feared. Or the 2008 election re-run when he was working with the men in uniform.
This is as good as his claim in an interview, several years back when he claimed he was ‘soft as wool.’ He must think we’re all soft in the head.
Should he have signed the law ? It a war situation, as was the case in Zimbabwe when Super Zapu revolted against the government it is was difficult , if not impossible to tell who harbours or does not harbour dissidents as long as they existing within that community/area. That is exactly why the people in Matebeleland where the dissidents were operating bore the brand of the civil war.If there was no umvhukhela would we talking about this would we be blaming Ngwena who in his real life and not as a minister is a good man?
There is a just Judge who is so thorough in justice just as He is thorough in saving souls. His name is Jesus Christ. Life in it’s physical form is temporary, the real things are to come. Not a single soul will miss this appointment….the Judgement Throne. All politicians claim to be Christians so this is the truth that awaits us ALL.
The future, you are sick in the head! You would not be saying this if this had been done to your dear family members.
The Future, if a man, armed to the teeth, comes to your home and demands food and shelter, what would you do? Did you expect unarmed civilians who were at the mercy of both Five brigade and the so called dissidents to kill their tormentors with their bare hands.
You are heartless. May your soul burn in hell.
evil monster!
Pity smith was such a caring guy. He released even this Mugabe killer as mercy
OFF TO THE HAGUE WITH YOU- MURDERING DESPOT
Or maybe among them there is one he must save.
His stupidity is thinking that Zimbabweans and indeed the rest of the world have short memories.
vile vile evil man.
1.Mnangagwa is one man and he cannot and does not just change the constitution
2.How many people were executed between 1988-2000 when he previously served as Min of Justice?
3.Between 1988-2000 the number of capital offenses was reduced from over 15 to just 3 as a result of his efforts.
4.As for so called Gukurahundi it was civil war and some of the people of Matebeleland chose to stand against the majority gvt of the day…Atrocities happened but by both sides and collective responsibility must be held not to perpetuate the tribally motivated myth that Mnangagwa ordered the CIO,Army,Police,ZANU people’s militia and the dissidents to commit atrocities..,Everyone from Mugabe,Nkomo,Muzenda,Kadungure,Nkala,Dabengwa,Solomon Mujuru,Zvinavashe,Shiri,Sibanda,Sekeramayi ,and many others are responsible for acts which had nothing to do with ED and for which for some reason(Karanga hate) people choose to unfairly place at his feet….
5.The writer of this article,Nyarota, has a personal vendetta against ED hence the unbalanced and unfactual piece above..Indeed Nyarota is on record as vowing to bad mouth ED thru his paper The Zimbabwean and he does so almost weekly knowing Mnangagwa cannot challenge the numerous lies printed.
I am not surprised that he is now against the death penalty as he is the prime candidate to swing come a regime change. He was not very nice during his time at University in Zambia and has failed to mend his ways since then.