Gukurahundi: Beware of the hidden hand

THE recent meeting in Bulawayo between journalists and chiefs, just before the Gukurahundi hearings meant to bring closure to a sad chapter in the country’s history, was necessary as part of the preparations.

It is that time between 1983 and 1987 when lives were lost and property destroyed in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands Province during what the late President Robert Mugabe described as ‘a moment of madness’.

For that reason, it was ideal for journalists to come together so that they can appreciate the sensitivity of the issue.

It is crucial that, as they are the link between those conducting the hearings and the affected and the rest of the country, they be sober-minded.

This is not the time to score cheap political points by writing inflammatory pieces with an eye on boosting the sales of their publications at the expense of nation-building. This is no time for gossip or hearsay either.

We, therefore, urge our journalists across the board to understand the delicacy of the issue which has dogged the country from the early days of independence to date.

On the other hand, we applaud the Second Republic for appointing chiefs to conduct the hearings.

After all, they were among the people who were affected by this regrettable ‘moment of madness’. The traditional leaders are expected, therefore, to have a genuine interest in seeing to it that there is permanent closure to this ugly chapter in our history. It is them who can help in identifying, without fear or favour, those negatively affected by the Gukurahundi tragedy.

They are unlike the self-styled human rights ‘champions’ from the West, who are only too eager to exploit an emotive and delicate situation.

We have complete confidence in our chiefs and have every reason to expect them to reach a conclusion that will satisfy all Zimbabweans.

But we must remember that the majority of the Gukurahundi-affected were innocent civilians caught in the crossfire between the security forces and dissidents.

It is aptly described as ‘a moment of madness’ because nobody can actually stand up and point out the cause of the hostilities.

But because the hostilities took place mainly in Matabeleland, they assumed the semblance of a tribal war.

This is exactly what our detractors from the West wanted.

A Shona/Ndebele cleavage was an ideal situation that would make it possible for their divide-and-rule tactic to flourish.

Indeed, they found the unfortunate situation quite handy to exploit, as they have used the tribal weapon wherever the colonial flag has been hoisted.

But let’s pause for a moment and explain why they are going to fail.

There is so much that unites the Ndebele and Shona than what divides them. For a start, they have a common cultural belief in the powers of their ancestors. Njelele, the religious name for the Matopo Hills, was their common sanctified spiritual shrine. In fact, the liberation war got its impetus from acceptance of the spiritual power of the shrine, since Mwari resided there.

The white colonialists are, therefore guilty of sacrilege by planting the grave of arch-colinialist Cecil John Rhodes there.

When the liberation war was waged, there were no political or ideological differences in identifying the common enemy.

That is why ZANU and ZAPU military wings, ZANLA and ZIPRA, respectively, were united in fighting vapambipfumi.

That is why, at Lancaster House in 1979, Ian Smith surrendered to the joint leaders of ZANU and ZAPU under the Patriotic Front banner.

Of course, our detractors did not take kindly to this.

No wonder we can trace the fingerprints of a hidden imperialist hand behind the instigators of the ‘moment of madness’.

Indeed, it could have been a lasting ‘moment of madness’.

But what our detractors didn’t know was that the so-called Ndebeles and Shonas are blood relatives.

Through inter-marriage, the distinction between Shona and Ndebele is now blurred.

Shona totems like Shumba, Nzou, Ngwena and Soko are respectively echoed by Sibanda, Ndhlovu, Ngwenya and Ncube as their direct counterparts.

There are many more reasons that have established this bonding in relationship. As journalists, we are reminded to always watch out for the intrusive hidden hand.