VILLAGERS from Mkhonyeni Village in Matabeleland North province's Tsholotsho district are demanding that the area be turned into a museum to preserve the history of atrocities committed by the Fifth Brigade in their village.
They are also calling for March 16 to be recognised as a national public holiday in honor of female victims of Gukurahundi.
The date holds deep significance for the village. On March 16, 1983, 21 women and a young man were killed by the Fifth Brigade under Chief Siphoso’s leadership.
Every year, survivors and families of the victims gather to honour their loved ones, but this year, their calls for national recognition have grown louder.
The community has taken a decision to write to Parliament urging lawmakers to formally declare March 16 as Women’s Day dedicated to women’s struggles and resilience.
As part of the community’s efforts to preserve the memory of those lost, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) and other partners recently stepped in to support the cause, donating fencing wire and a gate to enclose the burial site of the victims.
“This is a sacred place, it must be protected so that even long after we are gone, future generations will know what happened here,” said one villager during a Gukurahundi memorial service held on March 16 in the area.
“The government must acknowledge this day officially.”
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Women from the community have also been at the forefront of the campaign, sharing their painful experiences and demanding recognition.
Gogo MaNxumalo, who survived the massacre, is one of the many pushing for March 16 to be recognised at the national level.
“I am in great pain because of what happened here,” she said.
“When I speak, I feel like crying because I have lost so much…
“They took them away, escorting them like cattle.
“When they arrived at Langeni, we would hear gunshots — those were our relatives.”
She said her husband’s younger brother was among those killed, along with his wife and many others.
“When they were doing that, they didn’t care about anything. During that time, I had my newborn,” she recalled.
Survivor Patricia Dlamini called for urgent recognition of the massacre through a public holiday and a museum.
“We are not happy about how this case is being handled by the government,” she said.
“As one of the victims, my point is that this incident happened just after independence, and yet up to today, we are still in shock.
“Why were women killed in such a painful manner?
“On top of that, it was during Women’s Month, which is why we are requesting a public holiday.”
Dlamini highlighted the devastating personal losses she suffered during the massacre.
“We kindly ask for a museum to be built, a public holiday, and proper shelter for us survivors,” she said.
“Right now, this is my home we are talking about—where I lost everything.
“We were left with only the clothes we were wearing.
“Our property was destroyed, leaving us in poverty until today. I am homeless, struggling to survive.”
She also spoke about how livestock and possessions were lost during the massacre, making life even harder for survivors.
“Our livestock scattered, and I don’t know what happened to it—including cows, donkeys, goats, and poultry. Life has not been easy for us victims,” she added.
Ibhetshu likaZulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo, who has long been involved in advocacy for historical justice, stressed the importance of honoring women who have endured suffering throughout history.
“March is already dedicated to women, yet there is no public holiday in Zimbabwe to recognize their struggles,” he said.
“The people of Mkhonyeni believe March 16 should be set aside to honor women, especially those who have suffered violence and oppression.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has tasked chiefs to lead public hearings into the 1980’s mass killings that remain worst dark chapter in the country’s 45 year-old history.
Mnangagwa’s predecessor Robert Mugabe deployed a North Korean trained Fifth Brigade in Matabeleland and Midlands to track alleged dissidents.
The Fifth Brigade went on to massacre defenceless citizens, leaveng over 20 000 dead, according to researchers.
