The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has hit back at Vice President Kembo Mohadi for claiming that the death of 20,000 people during the Gukurahundi atrocities was in keeping with how nations are formed.
Mohadi was addressing the electorate in Cowdray Park ahead of the ward 28 Bulawayo Municipality by-election set for March 30.
The Zanu PF candidate Kidwell Mujuru will face off with 17 other candidates vying for the council seat which fell vacant following the death of Councillor Hapson Ncube in December last year.
“Since 2000, we have been losing, both general and local authority elections to the opposition. It boggles the mind to see ZANU PF losing elections to the MDC Party,” Mohadi was quoted as saying.
“If it’s an issue that we hurt each other, and a lot of people disappeared, well, in the history of nations it was always like that.”
“The Ndebele kingdom comprised of many tribes. Did they volunteer to be incorporated? Some of them, their surnames have been bastardised by you, like Mkandla and Mdlongwa. That’s how it was.”
In response, MRP president Mqondisi Moyo said that Mohadi’s pronouncements on tribalism and Gukurahundi are worrying and derogatory.
“Beitbridge is one of the places in Matabeleland that has seen an influx of people from outside the region at the expense of the local Venda and Sotho people, thanks to Kembo Mohadi who is a beneficiary of the institutional tribalism of the Zimbabwean government,” said Moyo
Moyo went on to say, attempts by the vice president to trivialise the atrocities would backfire on him.
“The comments by Mohadi on Gukurahundi issues were rather misplaced and unfounded, he insinuated that Gukurahundi was necessary to build the nation, this also makes people doubt whether he indeed is from Matabeleland.”
The MRP leader added that as an ex-ZPRA and ZAPU member Mohadi should have a significantly superior understanding of Gukurahundi.
“At the time when president Mnangagwa came to Matabeleland to shed crocodile tears before the so-calledMatabeleland Collective, Mohadi justified the commission of Gukurahundi.”
“The results of Gukurahundi are right at his doorstep with all government offices including border posts and even as far as the people sweeping the floors more often than not being from Mashonaland.”
The MRP president added that the ruling party would continue to fare badly in urban areas as it is clueless on the needs of the urban electorate.
“For a Vice President of a country to be delegated to campaign for an aspiring ward councillor is the epitome of desperation.”
The Vice President also donated 30 tonnes of rice and 60 tonnes of maize to Cowdray Park residents.
