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Ibhetshu, MLF officials in trouble over Gukurahundi

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IBHETSHU likaZulu secretary-general Mbulo Fuzwayo and Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) deputy chief security officer, Charles Thomas have claimed that they received anonymous phone calls threatening them over their public condemnation of Gukurahundi and for suing the Zanu PF and United Kingdom governments, demanding the release of the Chihambakwe and Dumbutshena commissions reports.

IBHETSHU likaZulu secretary-general Mbulo Fuzwayo and Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) deputy chief security officer, Charles Thomas have claimed that they received anonymous phone calls threatening them over their public condemnation of Gukurahundi and for suing the Zanu PF and United Kingdom governments, demanding the release of the Chihambakwe and Dumbutshena commissions reports.

BY SILAS NKALA

Fuzwayo and Thomas, who is a surviving victim of Gukurahundi, have been vocal demanding an apology and compensation of the massacre victims since former President Robert Mugabe’s era and now under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

They have on several occasions organised Gukurahundi prayer meetings and memorials, which were repeatedly blocked by the police.

Last week, Fuzwayo said he was living in fear after he received an anonymous phone call threatening him over his involvement in the political issues around Gukurahundi.

“It is true that I have been threatened, but I do not know who the person was. I am not sure who the person was as he was using a private number. The person phoned me saying I must leave politics,” he claimed.

Thomas said he was threatened by State security agents for being vocal about Gukurahundi. He said they directly approached him at a food outlet in the city centre and told him that they will stop him and Fuzwayo from pursuing their legal action against government over Gukurahundi.

“With the Gukurahundi issue, we were threatened by [State] security agents and I was physically threatened. They said they will silence me on the issue of Gukurahundi,” he said. He said they have since filed a police report on the threats.

Their lawyer Dumisani Dube confirmed that the matter has been reported to the police.

“Some operatives approached Thomas and threatened to silence him and Fuzwayo for Gukurahundi-Chihambakwe matter and they have reported the matter to the police under case number IR7501/18 at Central Police Station. Fuzwayo was also called and told that they want to castrate him,” Dube said.

In May, Fuzwayo, Thomas, together with a civil rights activist Dumisani Mpofu, filed a High Court application suing Mugabe, Mnangagwa and Vice-President Kembo Mohadi (National Healing and Reconciliation minister) and the British Premier Theresa May seeking an order compelling them to release the findings of the Chief Justice Enock Dumbutshena and Justice Simplisius Chihambakwe commissions and for national healing to begin.

The case was struck off the roll on technicalities.