Legislators Break During A Review Workshop

By Manicaland Correspondent.

Mutare – Legislators from Matebeleland broke into tears during a two day workshop in Mutare after learning of the Bhalegwe mine that is said to be in full operation by illegal miners.

The review workshop which was being coordinated by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission had the Justice and Legal Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights.

Commissioners and legislators spoke about the national healing which the nation is on the edge to deal with on the killings and attack on people after the liberation struggle in Matebeleland, in the massacre code named, Gukurahundi, 2008 political era and the current 2018 shooting.

Magwegwe legislator, Anele Ndebele and proportional representative, Dorcas Sibanda shed tears during the workshop when the Gukurahundi became the main subject matter for the commission to look into through truth telling and commitment to deal with the issue once and for all than for it to be a long hanging issue.

Interviewed after the session Sibanda told Post On Sunday that the massacre happened way after the liberation struggle and the person who gave orders to kill should be known, and there is need for truth telling, political will and commitment in dealing with this issue.

“What made us shed our tears; it’s sad to note that Bhalagwe mine is now operational”.

The mine is well known of having victims of Gukurahundi being thrown inside and to date no exhumation of bodies has been done. it was a mass grave during the 1983-1987 era, and people from that area continue to see ghosts.

“Some people in Matebeleland know where their relatives were buried and it is for the commission to be fully independent, willing to be truthful to get a positive attitude from the victims of Gukurahundi and lead through the healing process” Sibanda added.

She further highlighted on the need to decentralise the commission so that it will be able to acquaint itself with real issues at district and national level, breaking the language barrier as well as taking from how Rwanda managed to deal with their genocide case and how they managed to move on.

The guest, Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Francis Mudenda said “The road to national peace and reconciliation is a thorny one. It is like climbing a rocky mountain with cutting spikes and yet once one arrives at the zenith of that mountain, the worldview is full of unimaginable existential splendour of soothing harmony”.

“May I conclude by underscoring that to attain incontrovertible peace, we must assiduously strive for human and social justice. That human and social justice should emerge out of our confession and expiation of our erstwhile human conflicts so that eternal reconciliation can subsist in time memorial” Mudenda added.