Vice President Kembo Mohadi said that there is a need to talk openly about Gukurahundi to find a lasting solution for the country’s benefit.
Gukurahundi was “a period of madness” according to former President Robert Mugabe in which a reported 20 000 people, mainly civilians, were killed by the army in the Midlands and Matabeleland Provinces in the 1980s.
VP Mohadi made the remarks in a meeting with chiefs from the Midlands Province. He said:
We had Gukurahundi; it happened here in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces. We can only talk about it because there is a need to find a lasting solution for the benefit of the country.
We can’t afford not to talk about it (Gukurahundi). As leaders, we must go out there and promote peace for each other and our country. This is a topical issue.
He added that chiefs should come up with a document that will help the government in conflict resolution based on cultural values going forward. He said:
I would like to reiterate that my engagement with chiefs is so that I can learn from them our cultural approaches to peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
I do request that after our dialogue, the chiefs remain reflecting on what we will have discussed and come up with well-considered, written resolutions that will contribute to the document that will be compiled to give insight and direction to Government on this important process of a cultural approach to peacebuilding and conflict resolution based on the philosophy of Ubuntu/ Hunhu.