EDWIN MOYO
Bulawayo-The National Council of Chiefs has voiced strong support for the newly launched Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme, praising it for its foundation in culturally informed conflict resolution strategies.
The endorsement came during the official launch ceremony held on Sunday, where key figures in Zimbabwe’s traditional leadership expressed their optimism about the programme’s potential to foster national healing and reconciliation.
The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme was launched by President Mnangagwa to address the deep-seated grievances stemming from the Gukurahundi massacres committed in the 1980s.
The initiative seeks to build on the accord’s legacy by addressing historical injustices and fostering more inclusive dialogue among Zimbabweans.
The programme aims to provide a platform for affected communities to engage in open dialogue, seek justice, and work towards reconciliation through the use of indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms.
Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs who is also the President of Pan African Parliament, Chief Fortune Charumbira, highlighted the significance of incorporating local knowledge and cultural values in the conflict resolution process.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Charumbira said the success of the Gukurahundi hearings hinges on understanding and integrating local expertise.
“Conflict resolution can only succeed if you use your own knowledge, cultural values, and context. That is why previous attempts failed because they brought in individuals from America or the United Kingdom to lead,” Charumbira said.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Chiefs Council, Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo, said the outreach aims to hear the side of the story of the affected community through participation in the hearings.
“Those who feel they are the ones who suffered the most during Gukurahundi are encouraged to attend the hearings where these issues will be discussed,” Khumalo said.
The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme is positioned to bring closure to the genocide that happened between 1983 and 1987 in the southern part of the country where an estimated 20 000 people were killed on ethnic lines according to a report by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe.
