Government convenes Gukurahundi media sensitisation indaba

By Tapiwa Svondo

The government has convened a crucial Gukurahundi media sensitisation conference in Bulawayo on January 28 to sensitive local media editors and senior journalists on programmes it has set in motion to bring the emotive matter to a mutual conclusion.

The meeting, set for Bulawayo’s Rainbow Hotel, is being organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

In a statement, Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza, who has led the initiative since its inception by government, said the media indaba is meant to sensitise the industry on the matter.

“Please be advised that the Gukurahundi steering committee is scheduled to convene a Media Sensitisation Meeting with editors from media houses in Zimbabwe.

“The purpose of the meeting is to sensitise the media sector on issues relating to Gukurahundi,” read the statement.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has opened the Gukurahundi issue for open discussion in the country in a bid to ameliorate the losses suffered during the country’s early 1980s conflict period.

Since the subject was broached, government has held meetings with traditional leaders in Matabeleland region to gauge their views on also train them on how to conduct public hearings on the matter.

Equally, a secretariate to champion the initiative was set up by government.