Some traditional chiefs in Matebeleland have expressed frustration over the government’s failure to adequately support the Gukurahundi outreach programme, which they said is result of lack of financial commitment and political will.
Concerns over unpaid allowances and an uncertain future for those involved continue to mount, raising doubts about the initiative’s effectiveness.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed chiefs to lead the Gukurahundi outreach programme, a critical exercise aimed at finding closure to the 1980’s mass killings.
The chiefs went for some training in Bulawayo last year on how to conduct the exercise and document the hearings.
Indications were that the hearings will start last year, but it was postponed to early this year, but since then, there has been little progress because of lack of an operational budget.
Chief Mathema from Gwanda revealed that personnel who also underwent training with the chiefs to assist in documenting the hearings had either passed away or left for better opportunities due to prolonged delays and financial uncertainty.
“The most important thing for such a huge project is having a serious budget behind it,” Mathema said.
“It is sad that we are still in the same position, and some trained people have died, while others have moved on to better prospects.
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“The pace is dead, and I don’t think the results will be good for the victims.”
This publication also gathered that, since the programme’s inception, those involved in training have been struggling to receive their payments.
There is little hope that the money owed to them will be disbursed anytime soon, sources said.
Chiefs Council president, Mtshane Khumalo, also acknowledged the challenges.
“Whenever there is a vacancy—whether due to employment opportunities, resignations, or other reasons—we bring in replacements,” Khumalo said.
Khumalo, however, remained optimistic.
“We have finalised our budget for the outreach programme and identified the command centre,” he said.
“The programme is moving forward, and it is well-coordinated. As people on the ground, we are reporting exactly what is happening.”
Khumalo did not mention when the outreach programme will start.
“We are advancing at the moment and getting closer to reaching the outreach programme,” he said.
“Last week, we were doing a revision, going over the training from previous years to assess whether people still remember the material.”
He elaborated on the programme’s structure, mentioning the 14-member panel and two rapporteurs responsible for overseeing operations.
However, from the beginning, there have been widespread concerns over poor planning and financial mismanagement.
Participants, including chiefs and panel members, have repeatedly complained about unpaid allowances, lack of resources, and an overall sense that the government is not taking the project seriously.
Despite these setbacks, some leaders remain hopeful, pointing to recent efforts to ensure that key aspects of the program—such as data collection and outreach—are properly structured.
However, frustrations persist, with many questioning whether the government will ever allocate the necessary funds to fully implement the project.
