Reconciliation before Unity

via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Reconciliation before Unity by Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo 22 December 2013

Its Unity Day in Zimbabwe today but has the country really achieved NATIONAL UNITY?

Why is there still the Matebele and Mashona stigma? Why is there still tribal based politics? Why is there still dominance of one tribe over another and marginalisation of a region over another?

Perhaps the mistake we made was to celebrate a coalition of two political parties as national unity. The perception that PF ZAPU was Ndebele and ZANU Shona was the initial mistake. The joining of PF ZAPU and ZANU did not mean a unification of the two ethnic groupings.

Fact is and remains that at the consolidation of PF ZAPU and ZANU not everyone in the country belonged to the two political parties. It is also fact that some who did then, today no longer subscribe to the two parties and some here today have never been members of these two parties and so feel out of the accord.

Can we in all honesty speak of unity while there is still a hurting population filled with hate and anger? Can we talk of national unity when people still have lots of unanswered questions and giving their children lessons of hate and rivalry? Can we talk of national unity when victims of past atrocities come face to face with perpetrators who have not shown any remorse and offered an apology?

Can there ever be unity without truth (not the temporary truce) and reconciliation? Reconciliation is not a result of unity but unity is a result of reconciliation. Though long over due (due in 1980) its still never yet too late for Zimbabweans black and white, Matebele or Mashona to sit down and tell each other the real truth of our past and solve whatever divides us and build real and everlasting reconciliation and unity.

God bless our country.