Question of unity still unanswered 34 years later

ZIMBABWE remains one of the post-colonial states with unending political problems. It cannot be ignored in this post-Independence discourse as the crisis has often led to abuse of human rights. The crisis can be traced back to the 1960s when nationalist party, Zanu, split from Zapu, which was led by the late “Father Zimbabwe” Joshua Nkomo in 1963. The successive years were liberation struggle days against Rhodesian white supremacists.

The nationalist movements — Zanu and Zapu — faced divisions on ethnic fault lines. This later emerged after Independence in 1980 as the Zanu PF government, under the late Robert Mugabe — who was premier then — launched ferocious state violence against alleged Zapu dissidents in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces between 1982 and 1987.

The bloody clashes, known as Gukurahundi, claimed thousands of innocent lives, according to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. A Unity Accord was eventually signed between Zanu PF and PF-Zapu on December 22, 1987 to end the fighting.

But 34 years later, the Gukurahundi issue is still emotive. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has initiated processes to address the matter. It seems the necessary healing is taking longer than expected.

As the nation marked 34 years of the Unity Accord this week, one wonders what the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission has achieved to promote national healing and fulfil its functions spelt out in Section 252 of the constitution. For how long will the nation wait until a proper postconflict management process is attained?

This week, Mnangagwa preached unity saying: “The Unity Accord is our asset together as Zimbabweans, there should never be barriers of politics, colour, creed, language, region or tribe standing between us and its collective ownership. Illustratively, all political formations in the country confirm it, one way or the other, through their structures and leadership choices.”

This came out as mere rhetoric for a number of reasons. Ethnicity is still being weaponised by Mnangagwa and Zanu PF in the appointment of key government positions. There have been complaints of preference of Karangas from the Midlands and Masvingo as were the Zezurus during Mugabe’s shambolic rule.

Vectors of identity such as ethnicity need to be blurred to promote unity. Some regions are unhappy about marginalisation and underdevelopment blamed on tribal or ethnic differences.

The question of unity in Zanu PF is still unanswered. The former liberation movement is burning. Internal squabbles at play ahead of provincial elections next week are evident of a deeply divided party. Intraparty violence has become the norm.

The ruling elite preach peace and unity, but the ferocity of state violence and repression continues unabated.

The consequences of state-sponsored violence have been devastating as there is a correlation between politics and the economy.

This explains why the government has to promote a new historical epoch of peace and unity, instead of rhetoric.