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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected] 

ZIMBABWE’S National Chiefs’ Council is looking for ways to make the upcoming Gukurahundi hearings a success hence is considering inviting people from Rwanda who successfully resolved their conflict.

Rwanda witnessed the massacre of at least a million people in about 100 days in 1994. During the genocide Hutu extremists engaged in mass killings of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Today Hutus and Tutsis are working together to revive Rwanda’s industries as well as attract foreign direct investment.

The Chiefs’ Council therefore wants to invite the people from Rwanda so they could learn from their experience.

The Gukurahundi hearings expected to start next month, are meant to bring closure to the Gukurahundi  disturbances that affected some parts of Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in the 1980s.

The hearings will be led by chiefs in their communities, who will gather evidence from victims and witnesses. The hearings are expected to  be concluded within 12 months and will be conducted by 72 chiefs from Matabeleland North and South each supported by 14 rapporteurs.

The vice-president of the Zimbabwe National Chiefs’ Council, Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira, said the council is mulling the idea of inviting people from Rwanda, who have managed to bury their painful past and are rebuilding their country.

“Resources permitting, surely we need to hear from Rwanda’s experiences, it’s something we have to seriously consider,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said the council is preparing well for the hearings and is ready to meet the victims and witnesses.

“The President has already announced to the world that we are now going to meet the victims as well as witnesses, we hope to start this process early next month,” said Chief Charumbira.

He also urged the media to play a constructive role in reporting about the conflict and avoid sensationalism or bias.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, echoed the same sentiments and implored the media to report about the conflict in a responsible manner that will help the country resolve the matter rather than inflame it.

He said the media should learn from the mistakes of some sections of the Rwandan media, which were blamed for either inflaming the conflict or turning a deaf ear to the disturbances.