Staff Reporter
The recently formed political party, the (Original) Zimbabwe African People’s Union (O-ZAPU), has strongly condemned the ongoing Gukurahundi hearings, calling them “flawed” and demanding a halt to the process, which they argue only revives painful memories for survivors.
Speaking during a community meeting held in the Katasa area of Nkayi over the weekend, O-ZAPU president Mathew Sibanda said the hearings spearheaded by individuals associated with the original perpetrators of the 1980s atrocities lacked legitimacy and healing power.
“Stop the Gukurahundi hearings spearheaded by the perpetrators of the genocide. The process is flawed and opens up the wound that our people suffered,” said Sibanda.
He emphasized that the government must take responsibility by addressing the long-standing grievances of survivors and their descendants.
He called for the issuance of identity documents for children of victims, many of whom still struggle to access basic services due to a lack of legal documentation.
“The government should process identity cards and birth certificates of children of the massacred victims so they can participate in daily life,” he said.
He further called for comprehensive compensation measures, including the construction of clinics, schools, roads, houses, dip tanks, and the replacement of livestock lost during the Gukurahundi era.
The O-ZAPU leader also used the meeting to update villagers on the party’s internal development.
He revealed that O-ZAPU is currently building its grassroots structures across the country from the branch level up to the provincial level, with the exercise expected to be completed before December.
An elective congress is scheduled for March next year, and Sibanda urged transparency and fairness in the nomination and election of candidates.
“We appeal for strict adherence to the rules for nomination and elections. There must be equal opportunity for all individuals competing for office,” he said.
He also called for transparency in campaign financing and accountability for all party resources.
He also revealed that the leadership will play a key role in confirming appointments to official positions to ensure merit-based decisions.
The villagers attending the Katasa meeting echoed Sibanda’s sentiments on Gukurahundi, strongly objecting to the involvement of traditional chiefs in the process. Many noted that chiefs had lost subjects during the conflict and therefore could not be impartial.
“This process is flawed and can lead to the opening of new wounds. It must be stopped with immediate effect,” said one villager.
The meeting was attended by the party’s senior leadership and was part of O-ZAPU’s broader effort to reconnect with rural communities and present its agenda.
O-ZAPU was recently launched as a revivalist political movement aiming to reclaim the legacy of the original ZAPU, which was founded by the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo.
The party seeks to represent the interests of marginalized communities, particularly in Matebeleland and has pledged to pursue justice, equitable development, and historical redress.
