THE secessionist Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has initiated an online petition seeking signatures to stop Matabeleland chiefs from leading the Gukurahundi hearings after being deployed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The party noted that their involvement will result in them being disrespected by their subjects and may create serious conflict with their people.
The petition dated July 28 seeks to collect over 20 000 signatures from people in 14 districts in Matabeleland region and five districts in the Midlands province.
The petition lists 80 traditional leaders (chiefs) from Matabeleland and Midlands who are being asked to withdraw from Gukurahundi hearings.
“United in our outrage, we condemn the egregious actions of Mnangagwa, for usurping chiefs’ power turning them against their own people. He has appropriated the Gukurahundi, a heinous injustice that demands accountability and exploited it for personal political gain and impunity,” part of the petition read.
“We are duty-bound to confront this cultural genocide, reclaim our rightful heritage and restore the dignity of our people. Mnangagwa has downplayed and denied his alleged role in the Gukurahundi genocide, which occurred during the 1980s.”
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MRP said it noted that people from outside the province and Chinese nationals were taking away resources and opportunities with the traditional leaders allowing the pillaging without resistance.
It noted with concern that many of the chiefs have openly aligned themselves with Zanu PF, instead of fulfilling their duties apolitical.
“This alignment has compromised your ability to protect the interests of your people and has allowed for the continued exploitation of our resources by outside forces,” read the petition.
The secessionist group said Matabeleland and Midlands people rejected the hearings launched by Mnangagwa on July 14 which he imposed chiefs to lead them.
“A more acceptable approach would have been a bottom-up one, where the chiefs are mandated by the people to represent their interests and convey their messages to the authorities,” the petition read.
Ibhetshu likaZulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo said it was sad that the alleged perpetrators had chosen to micromanage the process.
“It’s sad that if the perpetrator is in leadership and the victims are not pushing, obviously the perpetrator will decide what should be done. We did not do enough as a people [to say] that we do not want the process to be done like this, remember it’s not us the people who chose the chiefs to conduct the process,” Fuzwayo said.
“The question is will the outcome bring the intended results? The answer is no, are the chiefs happy to lead the process? The answer is no. Is the perpetrator expecting an outcome that will make him liable to the atrocities? The answer is no.”
Rights groups say over 20 000 people were killed in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces by the North Korea-trained 5 Brigade ostensibly in a bid to quell an insurgency, although critics say it was an attempt by the late former President Robert Mugabe-led administration to create a one-party State.