Brigadier General Emilio Munemo was declared a national hero yesterday.
Munemo was one of the commanders of the 5th Brigade which killed thousands of people in Matebeleland during the Gukirahundi Genocide. He died on Sunday after being ill for some time. Munemo was the Director General Civil Military Relations at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) headquarters.
Below are some of the reactions on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Donchigumba/status/1103372227138019328
And those that have been telling us that the current leadership were innocent bystanders during those atrocities must be feeling accomplished after the honour given to Munemo https://t.co/OiX74dNjfm
— Kholwani Nyathi (@kholwaninyathi) March 6, 2019
You call the man who ordered the massacres an icon so I don't see any problem with Munemo being made a national hero pic.twitter.com/CGYbRQcb8D
— Bossmajor (@Bossmaj2030) March 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/luckychisi/status/1103366658482229252
I think that title lost its meaning when some heros like Save who changed the course of politics were not recognised as such.
Its mostly reserved for murderers so I guess heroes acre is just Zanu acre our real heroes we declare ourselves and bury them where they chose in life— Cazawaty#Zanumustgo #SKILLEDREBARA (@cazawaty) March 6, 2019
It will enable us to visit the national shrine every year to spit on his grave
— Col Dyke (@dyketawanda001) March 6, 2019
Can someone do a comphrensive profile of each and everyone galant buried there. It seems there are certain character traits and past dark acts that qualifies one to be buried at this graveyard
— Open Platform #CCC (@MyCrossPlatform) March 6, 2019
It seems his role in Gukurahundi is actually what makes him a "hero" Zanu Pf standards. His name is not in the pre 1980 history.
— Mputaili C. (@mputailic) March 6, 2019
A gukurahundist Munemo declared a national hero. No doubt for killing civilians in Matabeleland.
— Dumisaninyuke (@Dumisaninyuke2) March 6, 2019
Only super tribalists see him as a mass killer, Munemo was a proffessional soldier , the pioneers of an interllectualism in Zimbabwe's millitary and security service circles. He is Zimbabwe 's national hero, super tribalists will choke with this enduring fact
— wilbur (@wilbur26753125) March 6, 2019