Midlands Gukurahundi victims silenced

Story By Sharon Sibindi, Standard

Gukurahundi survivors from the Midlands want to testify about atrocities from the early post-independence years. They now face questions over which traditional leaders should hear them. Some reportedly approach chiefs outside their home areas as government-led hearings continue. The outreach programme covers only Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South.

Programme excludes the Midlands

National Council of Chiefs president Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo said this limits who can take part. People from areas such as Silobela in the Midlands can participate only if the incidents happened in the two provinces.

“If a person is from Silobela, which is in the Midlands, they cannot participate if the incident happened there,” Chief Khumalo said in an interview. “This programme does not extend to the Midlands. It covers only the two provinces.”

Survivors can still report abuses their families suffered in places such as Nkayi, Bubi, Tsholotsho or Plumtree between 1982 and 1987. Chief Khumalo said they should travel to those areas. They should approach the traditional leaders there and give evidence about what happened to them or their families.

Questions over jurisdiction

Southern Eye on Sunday heard that some survivors from Chief Malisa’s area in the Midlands approached Chief Nkalakatha in Matabeleland. They wanted to give their testimonies there. This raised questions about jurisdiction and the procedures that govern the hearings.

The programme’s guidelines say chiefs should mainly engage people living in their own jurisdictions. They allow exceptions for known individuals who have moved elsewhere. The guidelines also provide for referrals where necessary.

Midlands also suffered violence

The Midlands endured significant Gukurahundi violence in the 1980s, particularly in Silobela, Zhombe and Lower Gweru. The Fifth Brigade’s operations extended beyond the Matabeleland provinces.

Survivors in these areas have long argued that any national reconciliation process should include them. The geographical limit raises concerns that some survivors may miss out on the official process. That could undermine the government’s stated goal of comprehensive healing and national unity.

Hearings face a deadline

The hearings resumed in September. Chief Khumalo said they should conclude next month. The deadline puts pressure on the process to accommodate survivors who still want to give their accounts.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the Gukurahundi community engagement programme in July 2024. The testimony-gathering phase began only on 26 June 2025. The initial six-month period ended in December 2025 before all engagements finished.

Traditional leaders then asked for an extension. They cited unfinished work and resource constraints. In August this year, Chief Khumalo told Southern Eye that funding shortages had left the hearings incomplete. He said traditional leaders needed to resume the process.

Background on Gukurahundi

Gukurahundi remains one of the most painful chapters in Zimbabwe’s history. Between 1983 and 1987, the government deployed the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade against alleged dissidents. The campaign caused widespread killings, torture, disappearances and other abuses. Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands suffered most.

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe and the Legal Resources Foundation documented the atrocities in their 1997 report, Breaking the Silence, Building True Peace. They estimated that about 20,000 people died.

The violence ended when then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe and PF Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo signed the Unity Accord on 22 December 1987. Even so, survivors and families still seek answers about missing relatives. They also want acknowledgement of their suffering and meaningful redress.

Concerns about the process

Critics have questioned the outreach exercise’s structure, transparency and independence. They also doubt its ability to deliver accountability for the violations.

Government figures reported in July showed 25,407 online submissions, 25,862 physical submissions and 25,479 audio testimonies. Officials had transcribed 12,956 of the audio testimonies.

Reporting based on original coverage by Standard.