Contrary to the Bulawayo Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 violence, the Gweru deliberations went on smoothly.
The major submission by witnesses suggested that the opposition MDC Alliance leadership incited the nationwide riots whose effects were tragic.
The MDC Alliance has been accused of mobilising and whipping citizens’ emotions to organised protests resulting in the loss of six lives in the capital.
It was a full house in Gweru as people from across the Midlands Province gathered at the venue set for the Commission of Inquiry probing the 1 August post-election violence.
In his opening remarks, the commission’s chairperson and former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe indicated that while the riot and consequent deaths occurred in Harare it was of paramount importance if not pivotal for the commission to have a nationwide reflection into this matter and hence the Gweru public hearing.
“Though the events occurred in Harare, as a commission we felt it was necessary to come to Gweru to get the reading of the circumstances that led to the events of that day of the events from the Gweru community,” he said.
Submissions from this public hearing boldly indicate that the countrywide riots were at the behest of hate speech and well orchestrated efforts of the Chamisa-led opposition MDC.
Other attendants called upon the commission to make considerations on deliberating possible compensation for the afflicted families.
The participants also called for the commission to ensure that justice is served on all who were affected.
The Gweru public hearing comes after heated and emotionally charged deliberations in Bulawayo.
This follows clear destructive attempts that were used by some groupings to undermine the work of this commission citing the Gukurahundi issue.
The attempt towards destabilising the 1 August hearing in Bulawayo ironically comes against the backdrop of the on-going enquiry exercise on the 1983 disturbances through the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission which was also set-up by His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa to audit post-independence violence.
Source – ZBC
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