The Zimbabwe Victims of Organised Violence Trust (Zivovt) — which applied for the setting up of a monument at Balagwe camp — has reportedly started lobbying MPs to table the matter in the august House.
Zivovt secretary Bhekithemba Nyathi told NewsDay yesterday: “We are still pursuing the issue and we are in the process of engaging MPs so that they debate it in Parliament.”
“We are also planning to meet with stakeholders and to engage (Home Affairs co-Minister) Kembo Mohadi as we still do not understand how the site was turned into a district heroes’ acre.”
Nyathi said there should be a serious policy shift for their request to be accepted.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Balagwe was turned into a district heroes’ acre and hence was already a national shrine.
The Home Affairs Ministry is in charge of all national shrines and monuments.
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Three weeks ago, Zivovt vowed to set up a monumental site at Balagwe with or without government approval.
Earlier, the human rights group had applied to the Matobo Rural District Council (RDC) to be allowed to erect a memorial site at the camp in honour of several victims of the Gukurahundi massacres buried at the former concentration camp.
But the council referred the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Other partners courted include Grace To Heal, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJP) and the Gukurahundi Atrocities Redress Mechanism (GARCOM).