BULAWAYO – A Zimbabwean court on Tuesday dismissed a legal attempt by the opposition ZAPU party to halt public hearings into the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, paving the way for a government-led truth and reconciliation process into one of the darkest episodes of the country’s post-independence history.
The High Court in Bulawayo ruled against the application by Sibangilizwe Nkomo, son of the late nationalist and opposition leader Joshua Nkomo, on the grounds that the challenge was “not urgent” and could have been brought earlier.
The hearings, initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, are part of a long-awaited process to confront the atrocities committed during a military crackdown on the Ndebele population in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces. The campaign, carried out by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade, left an estimated 20,000 people dead, according to human rights organisations.
Speaking outside the courtroom, Nkomo now the leader of ZAPU reiterated his party’s rejection of the process, arguing that traditional chiefs leading the hearings lack independence and are compromised by ties to the ruling ZANU-PF.
“We want justice for the people who were killed, for the women who were raped, and for the children who were left orphaned,” said Nkomo. “This process cannot be led by the same system that was complicit in the massacres.”
ZAPU maintains that only a neutral and independent commission can credibly lead the process. The party had hoped to pause the hearings to pursue further dialogue with government , a position the court did not find persuasive.
A Bloody Chapter in Zimbabwe’s History
The Gukurahundi operation , a Shona term meaning “the early rain that washes away the chaff” was launched in 1983, shortly after Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980. It targeted perceived dissidents in regions loyal to Joshua Nkomo and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), Mugabe’s main rival.
President Robert Mugabe, who led the ruling ZANU, accused ZAPU of plotting to overthrow the government, and deployed the Fifth Brigade to “restore order.” The result was widespread atrocities, including mass executions, torture, rape, starvation, and the burning of villages.
The late Mugabe, who died in 2019, never acknowledged the atrocities, and once dismissed detailed human rights reports as “a heap of lies.” His successor, Mnangagwa who served as state security minister at the time of the killings has acknowledged the need for national healing but continues to face criticism over the sincerity of the process.
The Road Ahead
President Mnangagwa announced the new hearings last year, with plans to collect testimonies from survivors and community members and eventually produce a report that could recommend reparations and formal state apologies.
But sceptics say the government’s handling of the process lacks independence and transparency, especially given Mnangagwa’s own role during the massacres. Human rights groups have repeatedly called for international oversight and the establishment of a truth and justice commission separate from the state.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s ruling has deepened concerns among victims’ families and activists who fear the process may be more symbolic than substantive.
“There can be no real justice when the perpetrators are still in power,” said one Matabeleland resident who asked not to be named. “This is just a show to make it look like they care.”
Despite the setback, Nkomo said ZAPU will continue to pursue legal and diplomatic channels to seek a more inclusive and credible path toward justice, accountability, and reconciliation.
