A Zimbabwean diaspora group based in South Africa has formally petitioned the country’s ambassador to South Africa, demanding an immediate change of venue for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.
This year’s celebrations are set for Maphisa, Matabeleland South, but the petitioners cited the location’s painful historical associations with the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s as their major concern.
In a petition submitted to ambassador David Hamadziripi, on Friday, the Mthwakazi Protest For Change expressed outrage over the government’s decision to hold the national event in Maphisa.
The group argued that the choice was “deeply insensitive and provocative” given the unresolved historical grievances still haunting communities in the region.
“For many communities in this region, the wounds of the 1980s remain open. Families continue to live with the pain of lost relatives, unacknowledged suffering, and the absence of a comprehensive national process of truth, justice, and reconciliation,” the petition reads in part.
The decision to host the celebrations in Maphisa had sparked controversy, as the area is in close proximity to Bhalagwe, a site widely documented as one of the worst mass-killing sites during the Gukurahundi era, where countless civilians were thrown into mine shafts.
Keep Reading
Critics argued that staging a celebratory event at a location synonymous with state-sponsored violence is a grave insult to victims and survivors.
“We the undersigned... submit this memorandum as an expression of protest against the decision by the Government of Zimbabwe to hold national Independence Day celebrations in Maphisa,” the document reads.
“To host celebratory national events in this region while these grievances remain unresolved risks being interpreted as disregard for the lived experiences of the people of Matabeleland.”
The group argued that national unity cannot be built by ignoring painful chapters of history before submitting their key demands, which included an immediate reconsideration of the venue.
They also demanded formal acknowledgment of historical grievances, a commitment to credible truth, justice, and healing processes, and respect for community sentiment in national commemorations.
The group called on the government to recognize the pain of affected communities when making national symbolic decisions, arguing that commemorations should promote unity and dignity for all citizens.
“National unity cannot be built on silence regarding painful chapters of history,” they said.
Despite the growing opposition, the government is pressing ahead with preparations for the April 18 event.
Authorities have accelerated the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Maphisa road and are constructing a new stadium at the Maphisa Open Grounds to host the main celebrations.
Officials have said that the development projects tied to the event will leave a lasting legacy for the community.