PRESS STATEMENT ON DR. N. SHAMUYARIRA AND ZANU PF POSITION ON GUKURAHUNDI: BY FELIX M. MAFA (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

The Post Independence Survivors Trust (PIST) wishes to express its profound condemnation against the position of ZANU PF by its National Spokesperson, Dr. Nathan Shamuyarira on the defence of the 5th Brigade, whereby over 20 000 innocent defenceless people where killed in cold blood by the North Korean trained (Gukurahundi) army. (refer to the Standard of 1 – 7 October 2006) (No regrets on 5 Brigade).

It would appear contradictory from President R. Mugabe former statement “Gukurahundi was a moment of madness” he said it at the funeral of the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo (1999). We therefore wonder and are at pains to ascertain the correct position of ZANU PF as a party and short of ‘APOLOGY’ by R. Mugabe then.

We therefore conclude that Dr. Nathan Shamuyarira’s position is the official one of the party as he is the official spokesperson of the party. Therefore Mr. R. G. Mugabe was politicking to appease and buy time in order to support the dubious unity accord of 22 December 1987 between himself and Dr. Joshua Nkomo the former PF ZAPU President.

From the latest revelation by the Vice President Joseph Msika, (The Standard 15 –21 October 2006) that he was not convinced by R. G. Mugabe’s so called APOLOGY for the said atrocities, shows clearly that the unity accord was a mere surrender document by PF ZAPU in order to save lives from Gukurahundi strategy of killing all people in Matabeleland and Midlands perceived to be PF ZAPU supporters or otherwise.

To conclude our statement, we wish to draw the public to some of the contents of the so-called Unity Accord between ZANU PF and PF ZAPU. The first meeting between the two parties began on the 2nd of October 1985 at Parliament Buildings, Harare and concluded on the 22nd of December 1987 at the same venue.


The agreement is as follows:
1. That ZANU PF and PF ZAPU have irrevocably committed themselves to unite under one political party.
2. That the unity of the two political parties; shall be achieved under the name Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) in short ZANU PF.
3. That Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe shall be the First Secretary and President of ZANU PF.
4. That ZANU PF shall have two Second Secretaries and Vice Presidents who shall be appointed by the First Secretary and President of the Party.
5. That ZANU PF shall seek to establish a socialist society in Zimbabwe on the guidance of Marxist-Leninist principles.
6. That ZANU PF shall seek to establish a One Party State in Zimbabwe.
7. That the leadership of ZANU PF shall abide by the Leadership Code.
8. That the existing structures of ZANU PF and PF ZAPU shall be merged in accordance with the letter and spirit of this Agreement.
9. That both parties shall, in the interim, take immediate vigorous steps to eliminate and end the insecurity and violence prevalent in Matabeleland.
10. That ZANU PF and PF ZAPU shall convene their respective Congress to give effect to this Agreement within the shortest possible time.
11. That, in the interim, Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe is vested with full powers to prepare for the implementation of this Agreement and to act in the name and authority of ZANU PF.

From the dubious or fake agreement one is left with no doubt that PF ZAPU was cheated and thereafter swallowed by the old ZANU (PF) it was a political expediency of the highest order, by ZANU PF, hence to date the agreement is outdated because sections (5) (6) and (7) have been overtaken by the events and time because:-

One party stated has been rejected by the masses of Zimbabwe through the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on the 11th of September 1999.

In brief the Socialist state built on one party state and the code of conduct as in section (5) (6) and (7) of the said Agreement has been abandoned, by ZANU PF and now is history.

It is therefore incumbent upon the people of Zimbabwe to demand a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a bias of justice to all perpetrators and victims / survivors of Gukurahndi to say the least. To prevent further occurrences of such inhuman acts and crime against humanity by those in power, we therefore demand a People’s Driven and Democratic Constitution now than later. We demand not less than that, otherwise people of this country will fight by all means to set themselves free from ZANU PF dictatorship.

Dr. N. Shamuyarira’s statement is an attack to the dignity of the people of Matabeleland and Midlands and is most unfortunate, incomprehensible and outrageous to say the least. There are serious contradictions between Robert Mugabe, the ZANU PF President and the recent statement by Dr. Shamuyarira, ZANU PF National Spokesperson. This glaring disparity should not confuse people as it is a strategy to buy time, but the truth shall come out sooner or later.

It is a true reflection of the entire ZANU PF and hence, ordinary Zimbabwean should take a leaf from that statement and plan strategically for a sustainable way forward, i.e. people’s oriented strategies to save Zimbabweans as a whole.

Dated: 17 October 2006
Place: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
By and on behalf of Post Independence Survivors Trust (PIST)
Post Independence Survivors Trust (PIST)
P.O. Box 3006
Bulawayo
Cell: 091 322 912