… says Mugabe’s hands are clean … refused to entertain questions
Tell Reporters
Vice President (VP) Phelekezela Mpoko has downplayed the Gukurahundi massacre for the second time this year saying the only planned Gukurahundi he remembers took place before Independence as President Robert Mugabe was fighting for the liberation of the country.
While delivering his public lecture at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) on National Healing today, Mpoko reiterated that the much talked about Gukurahundi which killed over 20 000 people in Matabeleland in early 80s was a British conspiracy targeted at dividing Zimbabweans.
“The Gukurahundi that I know ended on 18 April 1980. The disturbances which rocked Matabeleland in the 80s were not the original Gukurahundi but a British conspiracy targeted at dividing Zimbabweans,” said Mpoko.
Although he acknowledged that there were ‘disturbances’ which rocked Matabeleland after Independence, Mpoko did not go into detail in explaining how it happened. He also did not disclose the names of the people who masterminded the killings but insisted that Mugabe was not involved.
“President Mugabe’s hands are clean on that one… he was never involved,” said Mpoko.
However, people who attended the supposed lecture said they were not satisfied by the VP’s address.
“He failed to articulate his facts…it was all disjointed,” said one lecturer.
Soon after his lecture, a lot of people, including students and university staff wanted to ask questions but they were denied the opportunity.
Only GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo’s wife Ellen who is also director of the School of Gender Studies at the university and one Zanu PF youth were allowed to ask questions.
“We wanted to ask questions but it seemed everything was stage managed. How can you call us for a lecture and deny us the opportunity to ask questions. He was lying and they thought we would embarrass him if we asked questions,” said another lecturer who refused to be named.
VP Mphoko
In February this year, Mpoko told the state run Sunday Mail newspaper that the disturbances that rocked Zimbabwe in the early years of Independence were part of a region-wide conspiracy to destabilize Southern Africa and not of any anti-Ndebele agenda by Shonas.local
