Mbizo MP, Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) said while President Robert Mugabe preached peace and non-violence at the handover of Ziscosteel to Indian firm Essar on Wednesday, his Zanu PF supporters are turning a deaf ear, as evidenced by their torture of MDC activist in Mbare on the same day.
“As we speak right now, the MDC district chairman for Mbare, Ayaya Kassim has been defaced by youths from Zanu PF, and there is no political will from Zanu PF to achieve national healing because whilst the head is softening and preaching non violence, the body is stiffening and rejecting it,” said Chikwinya.
The MP was debating a motion on national healing, cohesion and unity in respect of victims of pre and post independence political conflicts which had been moved by Hurungwe West legislator, Tall Severino Chambati and was adopted by the House of Assembly.
The legislator went on to rubbish Zanu PF’s position that the Gukurahundi era, which left an estimated 20,000 mostly Ndebeles dead, was ‘a moment of madness.
“We need to go through the process of healing the wounds of Gukurahundi victims and give these people a platform to air their views because people in Matabeleland never demanded money, but they want to be heard and to have the perpetrators say they are sorry,” said Chikwinya.
“We cannot rubbish this and say it was a moment of madness and yet the madman is still in office and this person can still be mad at any time,” he said.
Chikwinya said Zimbabwe should adopt a truth and reconciliation commission to make sure persons who suffered injuries through political conflict and those who perpetrated the violence, were given platforms to tell their respective stories.
Chikwinya said lack of that political will was further shown by lack of seriousness by Zanu PF to replace Vice President John Landa Nkomo in the organ of national healing and integration as he had been promoted to a higher post.
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Chikwinya called for the de-centralisation of national healing offices so that all the people affected by violence at different Provinces can seek help, instead of having to come to Harare.
