(Last Updated on October 25, 2020 by GERALD NCUBE)
BULAWAYO – After a series of protests against the government leading the exhumation and reburial process for victims of Gukurahundi, the government has finally agreed to let traditional leaders lead the process.
A consultative meeting held at the Bulawayo State House on Saturday between President Mnangagwa and Matebeleland traditional leaders resolved.
Local Government minister, July Moyo confirmed the details as he presented the resolutions of the meeting, saying this was influenced by the need to respect the customs of each area and community.
“The consensus that emerged from the two reports(by chiefs) was that in addressing the issue of exhumation and reburials, care should be taken to respect different customs of each area and community. To that end, issues of exhumations and reburials should be led and guided by chiefs as custodians of customs and culture in their areas of jurisdiction, said Moyo.
Recently, the government was taken to Court over the issue of exhumations and reburials with the applicants arguing that people in government were interested parties hence should not lead the process.
Gukurahundi still remains a dark spot in the country’s history, a period where an estimated 20 000 people mainly from Matebeleland and Midlands were killed when the government led then by the late President Mugabe unleashed the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade on civilians.
The government claimed it was fighting dissidents who were trying to destabilise the country to justify the deployment of this Brigade.