CHIEFS say they are ready to start public hearings into the Gukurahundi massacres as early as April after they completed a refresher course on how to conduct the exercise.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the outreach programme at the State House in Bulawayo last year, but the exercise did take off due to lack of an operational budget.
The exercise seeks to find reconciliation and closure to the 1980s mass killings in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions.
According to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe, more than 20 000 innocent people were massacred by the North Korea-trained 5 Brigade military unit deployed by the late former President Robert Mugabe to track alleged dissidents.
Chief’s Council president Mtshane Khumalo told Southern Eye that the refresher course was meant to discuss issues such as the budget.
“We also discussed issues of transport and the establishment of a command centre,” Khumalo said.
“We are now ready to start by April. We will engage the survivors first because they are the key people and after that we will embark on an outreach programme.”
Khumalo did not disclose the budget for the exercise.
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He said they expected local leadership to help in identifying survivors.
Khumalo added that young chiefs would be attached to senior traditional leaders during the exercise.
Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army deputy spokesperson Joakim Moyo insisted on a truth and reconciliation commission to ensure closure.
“We are waiting for the chiefs to engage us so that we tell them that they do not qualify to run this programme, some of the chiefs are too young,” Moyo noted.
“We need a peace and reconciliation commission.”
Mthwakazi Republic Party president Mqondisi Moyo said there should be acknowledgement by perpetrators.
“The Mthwakazi chiefs are both the victims and the survivors of the genocide as such they cannot preside over it,” Moyo said.
“There is no Gukurahundi genocide redress without the perpetrator acknowledging his role and giving substantial reasons why genocide was unleashed on us in independent Zimbabwe.”
Moyo also insisted on an independent international truth and justice commission to oversee the exercise.
Mugabe died without acknowledging Gukurahundi and apologising to the victims.
He only described the mass killings as “a moment of madness”.
Mnangagwa has pledged to address the emotive issue since coming into office.
Critics, however, have expressed scepticism citing the slow progress.
Some have expressed doubts about the chiefs’ impartiality, considering that they get cars and allowances from the same government that was in charge during the Gukurahundi massacres.
