Zimbabwe became independent in 1980 with Robert Mugabe as the new Prime Minister. In his Independence Day speech in April 1980, he said:
“If yesterday I fought as an enemy, today you have become a friend and ally with the same national interest, loyalty, rights and duties as myself….”Despite his reassuring words, he initiated the Gukurahundi Massacres just three years after independence.
Gukurahundi, a Shona word which means "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains", refers to massacres carried out by Mugabe’s North Korean-trained 5th Brigade between 1983 and 1987 in the predominantly Ndebele regions of Zimbabwe.
About 20,000 people in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces died or disappeared. I being a Ndebele from Matabeleland had one of my uncles asked to dig his own grave and was buried alive by the Fifth brigade.
Leaving a widow, a 3 year old son and a 6 month old girl. Life was not easy for my cousins as they grew up without a father. The pain of losing a loved one is unexplainable. Not only was my father's brother a victim, but his children to date are victims of the heartless Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
After losing ones breadwinner and struggling to grow up in the marginalised Matabeleland region where the infrastrure development is brought by well wishers and donors in little ice drops my cousins grew up anywhere they could. Mugabe's regime lives on; now they suffer to get employment, they suffer to make a decent normal living and we are all too scared to speak out and make him hear our voices.
Because whenwe do, we will be beaten, tortured and killed. My heart pains. For peace and reconciliation to be possible, Robert Mugabe must show Contrition, display a sincere penitence and remorse. Contrition is very important, it requires sincere thoughts of conscience to recall the many ways and errors, that occurred when destoying human life. Contrition is a major factor when preparing for forgiveness and reconciliation.
When the past is never the past, but you have to live in agony forever you wonder if peace and reconciliation is what you want or rather be otherwise. Robert Mugabe is heartless and that rules my beloved country.
With his own mouth he must;
Confess. He must stop sweeping it all under the carpet and blaming the West. Confession reveals the truth and shows that one takes full responsibility of their actions.
We the people of Matebeland require Satisfaction from him [Mugabe] where he will practise the penance.
The penance is when it assists what has been confessed, to make a situation better, such as return of stolen goods, paying for damage which was caused, or even a hug, or an apology to someone who has been hurt. Is Robert Mugabe willing to do this ever?
He more than 2 years later continues to kill the people in Matabeleland this time silently killing and torturing them if they ever stand up for their right and exercise their human freedoms.
Yes silent because the state media will not report it, if you are known or seen standing up for your rights, his militias will pounce on you, kill you and no one will know. Oh once a victim always a victim in Zimbabwe.
To some Gukurahundi ended, to me it never ended what the ears and eyes that care to see are blurred. The voices that speak are just shut and we continue to suffer. Robert Mugabe has no heart at all.
Should I be sorry for being Ndebele and later on for being Zimbabwean? Was it by my choice, but it was God created. A breath was left in me so I will stop at nothing but will voice my concerns.
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