Bulawayo Metropolitan Province governor, Cain Mathema, came under further attack over his recent Gukurahundi remarks after Magwegwe MDC-T MP Felix Magalela Sibanda described him as, “a rogue and prodigal son that Zanu PF must get rid of”.
Sibanda, who is also the Post Independence Survival Trust (PIST) director, stormed the NewsDay newsroom on Friday last week and claimed Mathema’s comments were, “a slap in the face of the inclusive government”. PIST was formed five years ago to investigate effects of Gukurahundi atrocities.
Sibanda said Mathema’s sentiments frustrated efforts at national healing and reconciliation which the government is trying to institute.
“Why is Zanu PF keeping such a rogue? They should fire Mathema. It is surprising that Mathema, who lives in Tsholotsho, is at least 50 metres away from the mass graves of victims of Gukurahundi but he still thinks nothing should be done to compensate the victims’ next of kin,” Sibanda said.
Sibanda however added Mathema’s utterances were not in line with the views of the people of Zimbabwe who experienced torture during the time of Gukurahundi which the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) estimates 20 000 people were killed.
“How can he pretend not to understand the anger of the people? We also want to know if Mathema was speaking in his own capacity or on behalf of Zanu PF,” he said.
Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called for the compensation of Gukurahundi and other political violence victims.
A week later, Mathema stunned the nation when he said the signing of the Unity Accord between former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu and President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu in December 1987 was enough compensation for the victims of Gukurahundi, mostly in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces.
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Mathema’s remarks earned him a backlash from Matabeleland political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs).
PresidentMugabe is on record as saying Gukurahundi was as a “moment of madness”, but has not apologised.
