Gumbo told The Zimbabwean in an exclusive interview last week that Murambatsvina, which displaced about 700,000 people according to the UN, was a commendable operation aimed at restoring sanity in the country.
“As a party, Zanu (PF) does not feel sorry for victims of Murambatsvina, neither does it owe anyone an apology for the destruction of property and the human suffering caused in the process. Operation Murambatsvina was a good government operation, launched to flush out criminal elements from illegal structures constructed around the country,” said Gumbo.
He said victims of Murambatsvina were mainly criminals hiding in illegal backyard shacks. The operation led to the loss of livelihood for many, with the majority of them yet to recove. United Nations Humanitarian Envoy to Zimbabwe then, Anna Tibaijuka, described Murambatsvina as the worst form of ill-treatment of mankind, calling it a crime against humanity.
Due to the widespread condemnation, President Robert Mugabe’s administration lamely tried to seek alternative and compensatory accommodation for the victims. The government came up with Garikayi/Hhlalani Kuhle housing scheme, which did not benefit genuine victims but Zanu (PF) supporters.
Observers said Murambatsvina was a Zanu (PF) retributive ploy, designed to get rid of MDC supporters living in towns and cities. MDC99 Leader, Job Sikhala, described Zanu (PF)’s lack of remorse as typical of dictatorship.
“No-one would be surprised to learn that Zanu (PF) was not apologetic or sorry for the cruelty it meted on the homeless poor, under the guise of the so-called Operation Clean Up. It is on record that the former ruling party killed more than 20,000 innocent civilians in Matabeleland and the Midlands Provinces during the Gukurahundi massacres of early 1980s. To date, Mugabe and his lieutenants remained unapologetic in this regard,” said Sikhala.
He said ever since Mugabe and Zanu (PF) came to power in 1980, life in Zimbabwe has been a tale of perpetual political persecutions. “With Zanu (PF) in power, the trend was bound to be a permanent feature of the country’s politics. Zanu (PF) does not respect human life.”
In a show of double standards, Zanu (PF) cried foul when its supporters were recently evicted from an illegal settlement in Epworth. Party Chairperson for Harare Province, Amos Midzi, speedily declared the evictions and demolitions as ‘barbaric’ behaviour.
“Reasons behind Epworth demolitions were different from those cited for Murambatsvina. People who lost houses in the Epworth scenario were poor bonafide people, unlike criminal elements affected by Murambatsvina,” said Gumbo.
Epworth demolitions followed a High Court ruling that the Zanu (PF)settlers had unlawfully occupied land belonging to a private company.
Post published in: News