Addressing
journalists
at
a
press
conference
in
Bulawayo,
Chief
Charumbira
said
traditional
leaders
would
preside
over
confidential,
victim-centered
hearings
across
Matabeleland
North
and
South,
with
compensation
to
be
determined
based
on
the
unique
circumstances
of
each
case.
“The
hearings
are
starting
on
June
26,
2025.
So
on
the
26th
of
June,
we
expect
each
chief
out
there,
hearing
from
the
victims,”
said
Chief
Charumbira.
He
added
the
government
is
ready
to
provide
reparations.
“And
cases
which
come
out
well
and
legitimately
so,
that
require
compensation,
the
government
is
ready
to
compensate,”
the
chief
said,
stressing
that,
“each
compensatory
value
would
depend
on
the
merits
of
the
case.”
When
asked
about
the
scope
and
mechanism
for
compensation,
Chief
Charumbira
said
President
Mnanagagwa
would
deal
with
it.
“Trust
the
President.
The
President
himself
has
said
people
would
be
compensated.
But
quantum
can’t
be
predetermined.
For
example,
one
would
say
three
herd
of
cattle,
one
would
say
I
lost
15.
We
can’t
give
the
same
amount.
It
depends
on
each
case.”
Preparations,
he
added,
had
intensified
since
Friday,
when
the
Steering
Committee
of
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs
met
to
finalise
logistical
arrangements
for
the
programme.
“From
Friday,
the
chairing
committee
discussed
these
issues
mainly
with
respect
to
logistical
arrangements.
On
Saturday,
all
the
chiefs
from
the
two
provinces,
Matabeleland
North
and
Matabeleland
South
met
and
were
given
the
opportunity
to
report
on
the
outcomes
of
the
awareness
programme,
how
things
went
in
their
areas.”
Although
the
President
of
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs,
Chief
Lucas
Mtshane
Khumalo,
was
present
at
the
briefing,
he
did
not
speak,
with
Chief
Charumbira
noting
that,
“he
lost
his
voice
from
flu.”
Chief
Charumbira
reiterated
the
programme
was
endorsed
at
the
highest
level
of
government.
“This
programme
is
led
by
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs,
chaired
by
Chief
Mtshane
Khumalo.
The
National
Council
of
Chiefs
reports
to
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa.
He
is
our
principal,
who
also
ensures
that
we
have
resources
to
enable
the
programme
to
move
forward,”
he
said
“I
want
to
repeat
that
this
programme
was
endorsed
by
the
President
himself,
who
decided
to
open
up
on
issues
of
Gukurahundi
to
allow
individuals,
call
them
victims,
as
individuals,
families,
or
groups,
to
be
able
to
submit
their
grievances
to
their
local
chief.”
The
chiefs
began
awareness
campaigns
in
their
respective
areas
on
May
27,
2025.
“Awareness
meaning
chiefs
addressed
people
in
their
communities
to
make
them
aware
that
the
President
has
opened
up
on
this
issue
and
is
allowing
people
to
make
submissions
through
the
chief,”
said
Chief
Charumbira.
To
support
the
chiefs,
each
will
be
assisted
by
a
14-member
local
panel
that
includes
elders,
religious
leaders,
women,
youth
and
counsellors.
“The
chief
is
the
presiding
officer
and
has
nominated
already
two,
three
elders
from
that
community
–
wise
men,
elders,
who
know
culture
in
that
community.
We
have
also
brought
in
religious
leaders,
pastors,
reverends
from
that
particular
community,
not
from
outside.”
“We
then
said
we
need
to
have
people,
women,
so
that
sometimes
they
have
special
interests.
So
women
are
represented.
The
youth…
because
we
are
building
peace
for
the
future.
Experts
or
people
who
are
good
at
counselling.”
Two
rapporteurs
per
area
will
be
responsible
for
recording
proceedings
using
iPads,
laptops,
cameras,
and
other
tools,
with
all
information
stored
under
the
custody
of
the
chief.
Chief
Charumbira
stressed
that
all
members
of
the
panel
would
be
drawn
from
the
chief’s
jurisdiction
to
preserve
cultural
integrity.
“Everything
is
according
to
the
values,
traditions
of
the
people
in
that
particular
chieftainship.”
On
diaspora
participation,
Chief
Charumbira
said
while
hearings
would
not
be
held
outside
Zimbabwe,
arrangements
could
be
made
for
individuals
to
present
their
cases
in
person
later
in
the
year.
“Just
like
any
judicial,
this
is
a
quasi-judicial
proceeding.
No
one
can
then
address
a
court
from
Botswana
addressing
the
court
in
Bulawayo.
It’s
imperative
that
if
you
really
have
a
good
case,
come,
talk
to
the
chief.
They
will
give
you
a
date
in
September,
for
example…
But
our
chiefs
cannot
go
and
sit
in
Botswana
or
South
Africa,”
he
said.
The
outreach
is
expected
to
run
for
no
more
than
six
months.
“It’s
difficult
to
say
when
(it
will
end).
But
roughly,
it
can
take
three
months
to
four
months.
Five,
six
months.
Ideally,
we
don’t
want
it
to
go
beyond
six
months.
We
believe
maybe
one
or
two,
three
chiefs
may
go
that
far.
And
as
you
know,
the
volume
of
work,
meaning
the
number
of
victims
will
differ
from
chief
to
chief.”
Asked
whether
the
final
report
of
the
outreach
will
be
made
public,
Chief
Charumbira
said:
“I
Can’t
say.
We
will
submit
a
report
to
the
President.
He
will
receive
and
then
proceed
as
he
deems
fit.”
He
claimed
this
programme
was
an
opportunity
for
victims.
“Let
us
not
look
at
possible
stumbling
blocks
only.
Let
us
celebrate,
like
the
media,
this
opportunity
granted
by
the
President,
which,
as
you
know,
prior
to
2017,
you
were
not
allowed
to
talk
about
Gukurahundi.
The
President
said
let’s
talk
about
it.
If
aggrieved,
naturally,
then
you
go
to
a
quasi-judicial
setting.
That’s
an
opportunity
in
your
life
that
should
be
celebrated,”
Chief
Charumbira
said.
Chief
Charumbira
concluded
by
encouraging
people
to
identify
and
approach
their
traditional
leaders
to
participate
in
the
hearings.
“Even
if
only
one
family
member
is
left,
neighbours
can
testify.
Communities
know.
Even
people
not
related
know
what
happened.”