Mzila condemns Enos Nkala over Gukurahundi Written by Nomalanga Moyo Wednesday, 21 August 2013 The late Enos Nkala with Mugabe ZANU PF founding member and former Home Affairs Minister Enos Nkala died Wednesday morning, according to a Herald report. A family spokesperson Herbert Nkala confirmed the death, which happened at Harare’s Avenues Clinic where Nkala had been admitted since August 7 th. Although it is unclear what the veteran ZANU PF politician was suffering from, there are suggestions that he had developed kidney and heart-related complications. Since the beginning of the year Nkala has been in and out of hospital receiving treatment. Nkala, an erstwhile ally of President Robert Mugabe, was among those who formed ZANU PF in August 1963 at his Highfields house in Harare. At the height of his prominence Nkala held several cabinet posts, serving as the first finance minister of independent Zimbabwe and also national supplies minister. Crucially, in 1985, he took over the Home Affairs ministry at the height of the Gukurahundi atrocities when more than 20,000 civilians in Matebeleland and the Midlands were murdered by government forces. Nkala left government in the late 80s after he was implicated in the Willowgate scandal, where top government officials purchased vehicles from Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries, at giveaway prices, for resale at inflated prices. Until his death Nkala continued to deny his involvement in the Gukurahundi massacres, saying the blame lay with Mugabe. But many people from the affected regions have remained unconvinced. Reacting to news of the death Lwazi Tsheza, a leader of the ZIPRA Veterans’ Trust, told SW Radio Africa Wednesday that “Nkala died too soon.” Speaking in Ndebele, Tsheza added: “He should have lived long enough to face prosecution for the Gukurahundi massacres.” Tsheza also blamed Nkala for the Entumbane Uprisings, when ZIPRA and ZANLA forces clashed several times, eventually leading to the Gukurahundi onslaught. “Nkala knew that ZANLA forces had not waged the war from Matebeleland, yet in an act of provocation, he brought them to an assembly point in Bulawayo as a ploy to steer up trouble and then finish off ZAPU,” Tsheza said. Thembani Dube, the editor of online news source Mthwakazi Review, who had a run-in with Nkala while he was still alive, said Nkala still owed the people an explanation about the extent of his involvement in Gukurahundi. “Nkala ranks as one of the worst politicians to ever emerge from Matebeleland. How can you preside and rejoice over the murder of your own people,” Dube said. While heading the home affairs ministry, Nkala rejected allegations by human rights group Amnesty International, which had reported beatings, electric shocks and other torture at government detention camps. Former Minister of Reconciliation, and war vet Moses Mzila Ndlovu, said although in his culture every death was regrettable, he was making an exception for Nkala. “I am not even going to pretend to be sorry that he is gone: there will be no tears for him from this end. He boasted about how ZANU PF was going to dispatch the 5 th Brigade like insikizi (bedbugs),” Mzila added. ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa, who was in prison during Nkala’s tenure as home affairs minister, was one of a few who visited Nkala in hospital during his illness. However Dabengwa revealed that Nkala visited him in prison with an offer to “convert” to ZANU PF or rot in prison: “When I rejected that offer, Nkala actually said they will throw away the keys to my cell and I would rot in prison. “You will also remember that Nkala is alleged to have said he regretted that he was Ndebele so much, that if there was a solvent that could wash that away, he would gladly use it. I confronted him about these allegations which he denied,” Dabengwa added. Before he died Nkala indicated that he had written a tell-all book on the Gukurahundi, to be published posthumously. Other observers slammed him as a coward who could not face up to his involvement and answer questions while he was alive. “For all we know, this could just be another of his ways to deny and absolve himself even in death,” said Thembani Dube. It is still unclear whether Nkala, who is almost certain to be declared a national hero, will be buried at the national shrine in Harare after he indicated that he did not wish to be laid there. ZANU PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said no decision had been taken Wednesday on Nkala’s status, adding that he did not foresee any opposition to that from within the party. Mzila said ZANU PF will want Nkala buried at the Heroes Acre, whether he liked it or not. “The Heroes Acre will be Nkala’s accolade for faithfully carrying out the party’s orders and executing Gukurahundi according to instruction. The decision is not his to make.” Mzila added.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 20:02:55 +0000
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