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| author/source:Standard (Zimb) |
| published:Sun 15-Oct-2006 |
| posted on this site:Sun 15-Oct-2006 |
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| Article Type : News |
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| "He apologised to me personally, but I was not convinced" |
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By Nqobani Ndlovu
Bulawayo - Vice-President Joseph Msika last week implied President Robert Mugabe was to blame for the 1980s Matabeleland atrocities. Msika said although Mugabe apologised, he did not proffer an explanation for the atrocities when taken to task by former Zapu members. Msika said he was not convinced with the apology for the death of about 20 000 men, women and children in Matabeleland and the Midlands. Msika was speaking last Saturday at a ceremony organised by the Mafela Trust to commemorate the killing of 11 Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) cadres in Jotsholo in 1979 by Rhodesian soldiers. The cadres, all from Matabeleland South, were killed while travelling to an Assembly Point. Sources said Msika spoke in SiNdebele, in which he is fluent. He said: "When we asked him (Mugabe) about the disturbances, he apologised to me personally, but I was not convinced . . ." Sources who attended last week’s meeting said there was a tense silence after this remark. The meeting was attended by the Zanu PF national chairman, John Nkomo, and Matabeleland North and South governors, Thokozile Mathuthu and Angeline Masuku respectively. Sithembiso Nyoni, the Minister of State for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Zanu PF Matabeleland North chairman, Headman Moyo, and former members of the ZIPRA high command as well as Zanu PF members also attended the meeting.
Talking about the 1987 Unity Accord, Msika is said to have noted that Mugabe shot down suggestions for a new name for the merged party. "In the run-up to the signing of the Accord, a serious issue arose over which name to use," said Msika. "Some of us in Zapu thought that it would be wise to come up with a neutral name . . . but those people in Zanu said they had won the elections and saw no need to change the name." Msika said for the sake of unity, the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo had the final say: "What’s in a name?" he asked. Zanu PF was adopted as the new party name.President Mugabe (82), has described the Gukurahundi killings as part of a dark chapter in the history of Zimbabwe. Recently, Zanu PF’s spokesperson Nathan Shamuyarira, sparked controversy when he said he had no regrets over Gukurahundi.
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