MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has attacked Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T for allegedly ignoring victims of Gukurahundi by choosing to assist victims of the 2008 political violence only.
Report by Pamela Mhlanga Own correspondent
But MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said Misihairabwi-Mushonga’s remarks were tribal and needed to be treated with care.
“PM Tsvangirai is going province by province in his programme of helping victims of political violence and if the time for Matabeleland comes, he will be there,” Mwonzora said. “I have also noticed that some of these political parties are like a megaphone for Zanu PF.”
Tsvangirai recently told thousands of party supporters at Zaka growth point that the MDC-T would compensate victims of political violence once the party won the next election.
The party was already paying school fees and providing other basics to the victims or surviving dependants.
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He was speaking at the commemoration of political violence victims, a development Misihairabwi-Mushonga at the weekend described as discriminatory given that Gukurahundi victims had not been compensated by the government.
Addressing party supporters at Chefunye business centre in Tsholotsho, Misihairabwi-Mushonga said: “People who were the first to have their houses burnt were here in Tsholotsho. So why did he (Tsvangirai) not bother to come here first?”
Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who is also Regional Intergration and International Cooperation minister, said despite clear indications of violence perpetrated against the people in the Matabeleland region, the government had failed to compensate victims.