By Dr Takavafira Zhou.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South)Shiri’s history will always remain a contested terrain. There are those who see him as part of the General Staff that successfully prosecuted the liberation struggle and therefore a national hero. Indeed he was one of the shrewdest commanders during the liberation war, and among a few that could command both ground force and air force. Even in the post independent period he remained one of the most feared armed forces commanders who any Zanu pf leader wanted to be on his/her side.
However, his role in the genocidal Gukurahundi in Matabeleland and Midlands dented his credibility as a leader. Not only was he a chief culprit in the systematic murder of more than 20 000 people in what Mugabe termed “a moment of madness” but he is also accused of using rape as a weapon of terrorising innocent civilians in Midlands and Matabeleland.
Worse still he died without a truth telling and reconciliation for the Gukurahundi massacres that remain a permanent ulcer in Zimbabwean politics and needs restitution. The nation can never progress without truth, reconciliation and restitution. His role as Minister of agriculture was a period of wasted years and saw not only pilferage in command agriculture, but left more than 8,5 million people vulnerable to hunger and starvation. So even in his death Shiri’s history will remain a contested terrain. What ever the case may be it is clear that Shiri is a liberation war hero and a military hardman but a villain in entrenching post independence democracy, peace, stability, respect of human rights and sustainable development. May his soul all the same rest in peace.
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou
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