Churches urged to step up in addressing Gukurahundi genocide

Churches in Zimbabwe have faced criticism for not doing enough to pressure the government into addressing the unresolved issue of the Gukurahundi massacres, which reportedly claimed at least 20 000 lives in Matabeleland and the Midlands regions during the 1980s.
Reverend Ray Motsi has called for greater church involvement, highlighting the critical role of faith-based institutions in fostering reconciliation and healing.
Speaking to CITE, Rev. Motsi stated that some churches have been hesitant to engage with the issue due to fear of government retaliation. While churches in the affected regions and a few individuals have actively taken up the cause, many others remain passive.
โThe scars of Gukurahundi cut deep into the victims’ hearts and are serious matters that require the churchโs engagement,โ he said. โThe means to peaceโthrough forgiveness, reconciliation, and repentanceโare moral and spiritual issues, and the church should act as the conscience of the nation.โ
Rev. Motsi expressed disappointment over the churchโs divisions on the matter, urging unity and proactive engagement. He called on churches to pressure the government to acknowledge the atrocities and implement meaningful measures to address the past.
โThe church must encourage the government to acknowledge what happened and find ways to deal with it. Instead, we see instances where attempts to memorialise the victims are undermined, with plaques destroyed under the cover of darkness. The church has a responsibility to advise and act,โ he said.
Rev. Motsi accused the government of lacking sincerity and political will to address Gukurahundi. He pointed to past processes, which he said were devoid of genuine plans or responsibility to bring closure to the victims.
โThere hasnโt been any meaningful effort to address Gukurahundi. While the church in Matabeleland feels the weight of this tragedy, the rest of the church in Zimbabwe is largely indifferent. Fear of government retaliation has left many churches silent on the issue,โ Rev. Motsi added.
Contrasting these criticisms, Archbishop Alex Thomas, leader of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, highlighted efforts made by the church to advocate for victims and seek justice.
He cited the groundbreaking 1997 report, Breaking the Silence, Building True Peace, which documented the atrocities with detailed evidence and statistics.
โThe church has been actively involved since the 1980s, conducting investigations and exposing the truth to the international community. This report made the government furious, but as a church, we are guided by justice, truth, and peace,โ Archbishop Thomas said.
He said the churchโs mandate includes giving a voice to the marginalised. Despite resistance from the government, the church has continued to publish statements and pastoral letters to push for accountability.
Archbishop Thomas also noted the churchโs involvement in fostering dialogue between victims and perpetrators, which led to the chiefsโ program. However, two years on, progress has stalled.
โWe were hopeful that the chiefsโ process would bring relief to victims, but it remains โyet-to-start,โ leaving us deeply disappointed,โ he said.
While acknowledging the challenges of expecting the government to provide acknowledgment and compensation, Archbishop Thomas suggested an alternative focus on regional development.
โOur region remains marginalised in terms of development. The governmentโs goodwill in this regard would go a long way toward improving the situation and fostering healing,โ he concluded.