PRESS STATEMENT: 24 November 2025 [Click HERE to See Official Statement as PDF]
GUKURAHUNDI HEARINGS:
CHIEFS' SELFISH DEMANDS A SHAMEFUL BETRAYAL OF VICTIMS
By Brian Ncube, ZAPU Deputy National Spokesperson
The Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) is appalled by the reported demands made by traditional chiefs involved in the Gukurahundi outreach programme. The chiefs' insatiable greed and self-aggrandizement are a stark reminder of the total disregard for the victims of the Gukurahundi genocide.
As ZAPU, we knew from the beginning that this process was flawed and a bastardization of the genuine attempts to heal the wounds of the past. The chiefs' demands for hefty allowances, Starlink kits, and fuel coupons are a clear indication that they are more interested in lining their pockets than in providing justice and closure to the victims and their families.
The secrecy surrounding the hearings, which are being held in selected parts of Matabeleland away from the public and the media, raises serious questions about the government's intentions. The exclusion of Midlands Province, which also suffered during the Gukurahundi massacres, is a blatant attempt to downplay the magnitude of the genocide and deny the victims their rightful place in the narrative.
ZAPU demands that the government takes immediate action to address the concerns raised by the victims and their families. We call for a more transparent and inclusive process to address the country's dark past, one that prioritizes justice, accountability, and reparations for the victims spread across Zimbabwe and abroad.
To the chiefs involved in this sham process, we say: your greed and insensitivity are a betrayal of the trust placed in you by the people. You are a shame to the traditional leadership institution and a stain on the dignity of our culture.
