Today Zimbabweans celebrated the 30th anniversary Unity Day that was signed by the late Dr Joshua Nkomo, known as Father Zimbabwe, Father of the Nation and the former President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe.
On December 22, every year since 1987, Zimbabwe celebrates the Unity Accord that was signed between ZAPU and ZANU, thus its about celebrating two political parties coming together, to sort out their differences.
It was to mend the hostile relationship between the Ndebele people(ZAPU political party was mainly based and the Shona(ZANU political party was mainly based) particularly after the Gukurahundi saga. With rumours of how the former president was trying to assassinate Father Zimbabwe who as said was becoming a critic of his ruling tactics and was questioning of which his main aim was to facilitate the hold onto power.
Robert Mugabe, the ZANU party leader at that time was accusing Nkomo's supporters of trying to divert the constitution elected government.
GUKURAHUNDI-"the early rain that washes away the chaff before the spring rains"- was the name given to the bloody massacre that saw the murder/ death of almost 20 000 Ndebele speaking Zimbabweans in the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces of the country.
There were a lot of provisions to the agreement:
some of these include;
-that the two political parties shall be achieved under the name Zimbabwe African Union Patriotic Front(ZANU-PF)
-That ZANU- PF shall seek to establish a socialist society in Zimbabwe on the guidance of the Marxist- Leninist principles
-that the two political parties will take immediate action to end the violence that was prevalent in Matebeleland.
-that ZANU-PF will seek to establish a one party state in Zimbabwe
ETC
However, though there was this Unity Accord no all are contend with the way the issue was handled. Most people in Matebeleland want reparations for the death of their loved ones.
The was even are Ministry call about the National Reconciliation Programme in order to address and facilitate the broken relationship because even up to now the country still struggles with the wounds of the party as people question where is the Unity in Zimbabwe when politicians mainly in the ZANU-PF under Mugabe was was cruel, oppressive to the people not only the Ndebele but had rather extended to the Shonas also.
Now that there is the new President in Zimbabwe. we want to see how he is going to mend the unending sour relationship when the Ndebele people even accuse Mnangangwa of being part and parcel of the team that organised the massacre such that the hostility still exist when the Ndebele advocated that Mugabe should pay for his sins whenhe resigned as President.
