Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The recently formed political party, the (Original) Zimbabwe African People’s Union (O-ZAPU), has criticised the ongoing Gukurahundi hearings, describing them as deeply flawed and lacking legitimacy.
O-ZAPU has called for the immediate suspension of the process, arguing that it retraumatises survivors by reopening old wounds without offering genuine avenues for justice or healing.
Addressing a community meeting in the Katasa area of Nkayi over the weekend, O-ZAPU president Matthew Sibanda said the hearings, led by people linked to those responsible for the 1980s massacres, could not be trusted to deliver meaningful redress or national reconciliation. Sibanda said:
Stop the Gukurahundi hearings spearheaded by the perpetrators of the genocide.The process is flawed and actually opens up the wound which our people suffered.
Sibanda urged the government to take responsibility by addressing the long-standing grievances of Gukurahundi survivors and their descendants.
He stressed the urgent need to issue identity cards and birth certificates to children of victims, many of whom continue to face challenges accessing basic services due to a lack of legal documentation.
Sibanda also called for comprehensive compensation measures, including the construction of clinics, schools, roads, houses, dip tanks, and the replacement of livestock lost during the Gukurahundi era.
The meeting, attended by O-ZAPU’s senior leadership, was part of the party’s broader effort to reconnect with rural communities and present its political agenda.
O-ZAPU, recently launched as a revivalist movement, aims to reclaim the legacy of the original ZAPU founded by the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo.
The party seeks to represent the interests of marginalised communities, particularly in Matebeleland, and has pledged to pursue justice, equitable development, and historical redress.
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