Ex Zipra cadre, Max Mkandla has warned politicians especially from the opposition political parties to stop using the Gukurahundi issues in their political millage without providing solutions to the 1980s killings.
Mkandla said during elections the use of the word Gukurahundi is always topical during campaigns and if elections pass, people keep quiet about it. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since proclaimed by election date for the constituencies and wards in which the self imposed Citizens Coalition for Change Interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu recalled members.
This means that the political parties will start campaigns and since the most affected seats are in Bulawayo and Matabeleland, Mkandla said the Gukurahundi is likely to be used to campaign and it is always used when the politicians speak in Matabeleland.
“If there are no elections no one is talking about Gukurahundi issues. We only find people addressing gatherings during election time especially in this part of the country campaign using it. They do not speak about it in other provinces, even in the Midlands which was also affected. They only speak about it when they step into Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo. We are kindly saying let’s stop this nonsense,” Mkandla said.
“All political parties whether from Harare, must stop using Gukurahundi knowing well that they will not resolve the issue so they must stop opening our wounds. A number of these politicians are beneficiaries of Gukurahundi but when they come here they try to use it to entice people here.”
He said the government has played its part by allowing people to talk about Gukurahundi and it opened the forum for discussions with civic society and later engaged chiefs.
He said the chiefs are not quiet about it and there is nothing they are doing about it.
“There are people who come here to speak about Gukurahundi whether it’s MDC, CCC or whatever, they must stop this. People of Matabeleland must form a committee which will engage the government on these issues,” he said.
He said Gukurahundi must be addressed and closed and the victims of Gukurahundi are the ones who must talk about it to exhaustion. He said politicians must stop looking for votes in Matabeleland using the emotive issue.
Source Byo24news
