Gukurahundi rears its ugly head again as Parliament discusses Mphoko’s Peace and Reconciliation bill- Part Four

*HON. MATANGIRA: Thank you Mr. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice on such an important issue of national interest to the people of Zimbabwe from Zambezi to Limpopo. The last speaker and the two previous speakers are both correct. It then depends  on one’s point of view and in terms of where we come from as a country and where are going. This Bill, wateya ngoma wati iye idi riwanike neuya riwanike zvinongofana nemumba kuti  zvakaitika zvakaitika, zvakaoneka. It simply means let by-gones be by-gones. The sixth sense tells you that this was right or wrong. By so doing, you will have made a decision and it is a right that we were given by God.

The 2008 and Gukurahundi issues that were being made reference to I exclaim, where are we going as a nation? You now want to open old wounds that had healed. If a husband and wife fought last week, would they continuously be revisiting the reason for the conflict? Would there be peace in that particular home? Let us be nation builders. That is why we were saying that if the prayer that is given by the Speaker would be understood by each and every individual in their mother tongue, that would guide us as to what exactly we seek to achieve in this august House.

*THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! What is maunderstendero in Shona? What is that?

*HON. MATANGIRA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I am saying as is the case in the Bible when many received the Holy Spirit from God and the word was being preached. Each and everyman was able to hear the message in their own mother tongue. If all mother’s languages were to be used, we were going to understand all the idioms whether in Shona and Ndebele and one would quickly understand….

*THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order Hon. Member. The rules say that you should stick to one language. That is why I had to ask you what is maunderstendero. Please stick to one language.

*HON. MATANGIRA: Maunderstendero simply means understanding. We would then understand because it will be in our mother tongue.

The Bill before the House is done by those that is, as has been said by the last speaker, people that want to cause conflict or a third force. It is a third force that is causing Zimbabwean children to fight one another. The Bill has been delayed and if possible, we should stop having the Bill. There should be peace and reconciliation and we move ahead. I thank you.

 HON. SARUWAKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I think the first point I wish to make about this particular Bill is that Members of Parliament must be reminded that it is coming as a result of a constitutional provision, which is establishing the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill. It is not for us today to then say we must strike it off and not establish this Commission. It is also instructive that those responsible for perpetrating violence and pain among the Zimbabweans will probably be happy if we are to stop this process and let by-gones be by-gones but in reality Mr. Speaker Sir, the nation does not heal that way. We must be able to face our demons if we want this country to progress. It is very easy for a perpetrator to expect the victim to forgive and forget but if you reverse the processes you will realise that a victim can only be healed when the truth and justice has been done.

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