The Gukurahundi Community Outreach Programme has yet to begin due to unresolved logistical issues, it has emerged.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially launched the programme on July 14, 2024, at the Bulawayo State House, five years after its initial proposal.
The initiative aims to create a platform for victims and survivors of the Gukurahundi atrocities to voice their grievances before a 14-member panel headed by chiefs.
Despite the government’s high-profile launch, the hearings have not yet commenced.
In an interview with CITE, Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo, President of the National Chiefs Council, confirmed that the hearings have not yet begun and expressed uncertainty about when they will start. He said:
We have not started, and we don’t know when we will start. There are still some logistics that have not been concluded.
We are not sure when we are going to start, but we will announce it when we are ready because we want publicity for this programme. However, there are some pending logistics.
I don’t want to divulge the specific logistics, but there are pending matters that need to be resolved.
There are many considerations when preparing to go out into the field—transportation, food, and subsistence allowances, among others.
Chief Mtshane also noted that the budget allocated for the outreach programme is insufficient. He said:
I think they underestimated the budget for this process. It is not enough for what’s required on the ground. The budget exists, but it does not cater for all the needs.
In previous meetings between Mnangagwa and the chiefs, the government confirmed that a budget had been allocated for the hearings, although the specific amount was not disclosed.
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