A Zimbabwean court has dismissed an attempt by an opposition party to halt government-initiated hearings into the Gukurahundi massacre of the 1980s. This massacre saw thousands of people killed by elite troops under the command of former President Robert Mugabe.
The legal challenge, spearheaded by the son of the late Joshua Nkomo, a prominent figure during Zimbabwe's struggle for independence, aimed to prevent the hearings from proceeding. Nkomo's ZAPU party and Mugabe's ZANU were rival liberation movements. Nkomo's supporters were the primary victims of the Gukurahundi, a brutal crackdown by North Korean-trained soldiers deployed by Mugabe to suppress what he termed a rebellion.
Gukurahundi Massacre: A Dark Chapter
The Gukurahundi massacre, characterised by extreme violence including torture and rape, resulted in the estimated deaths of 20,000 people in Matabeleland, Nkomo's stronghold and the heartland of the Ndebele people. Sibangilizwe Nkomo, a ZAPU leader, expressed the party's rejection of the current hearing process, advocating for direct dialogue with the ruling ZANU-PF party.
"We want to stop the process because it cannot be led by the chiefs," Nkomo stated to reporters outside the court. "As a peace-loving organisation, we will continue seeking dialogue. We want an amicable closure to this thing," he added, emphasizing the demand for justice for the victims of the atrocities, including women who were raped.
Court Ruling and Government's Stance
The High Court in Bulawayo rejected the application, deeming it not urgent and noting the delay in its filing. Vuyo Mpofu, the party's counsel, explained that their initial focus was on attempting dialogue with the government. President Emmerson Mnangagwa initiated these hearings a year ago, purportedly to address long-standing grievances and tensions arising from the killings in a region that perceives marginalization by Harare and the dominant Shona ethnic group.
The hearings are intended to culminate in a comprehensive report, potentially addressing financial reparations. The process's legitimacy remains contested, with ZAPU seeking alternative avenues for reconciliation and justice.