Can Churches Help Zimbabwe Confront Its Dark Past?
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Two years after gaining political independence from Britain, Zimbabwe plunged into another dark era. The government sanctioned a military operation code-named “Gukurahundi,” which means “the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains.”
More than 20,000 civilians were murdered in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland and Midlands provinces between 1982 and 1987, primarily by Fifth Brigade soldiers of the Zimbabwe National Army. The violence was driven by politics, ethnic identity manipulation and the late President Robert Mugabe’s pursuit of total control.
The violence ceased when Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, the leader of ZAPU — the dominant party in the affected regions — signed an accord in 1987. However, forgiveness, reconciliation and integration did not follow. Despite the post-Mugabe administration’s calls for institutions and individuals to confront Gukurahundi openly, progress has been slow. While there are some signs of possible reconciliation, people from the affected regions said that the involvement of the church could foster meaningful engagement around forgiveness.
“We have seen a close relationship between the current president and the church,” said Pride Mlotshwa, a political analyst. “They regularly have prayer meetings and get-together interactions, including the National Prayer Day held annually.”
This pursuit for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe has been supported by ecumenical organizations like the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, as well as faith-based groups like HEAL Zimbabwe and the Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum. Unlike the late President Mugabe, who engaged with churches mostly during election campaigns, the current head of state has shown interest in working with the church year-round. Still, people like Mlotshwa have concerns about the current approach.
“Sadly, Gukurahundi is not a priority at these gatherings. It seems the prayer meetings are more about supporting the president’s vision — except for the Catholic Church, which has consistently reminded the government that the past must be resolved,” Mlotshwa added.
Inhumane detention facilities, including the infamous Bhalagwe camp in Matabeleland South and St. Paul's in Matabeleland North, held countless civilians who were raped, tortured, beaten and starved during food embargoes. They were also harassed and subjected to lengthy curfews.
The Zimbabwean government initiated a probe in 1983 under the Chihambakwe Commission to investigate the violence. To date, its findings have never been made public. In 1997, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace released a groundbreaking report on Gukurahundi, detailing how people were murdered, mutilated, and raped.
Today, 42 years later, Gukurahundi remains a difficult and unresolved issue in Zimbabwe. The word evokes images of pain, destruction and death. Human rights activist Gibson Ncube noted that in such situations, churches are among the few trusted institutions that can play a vital role in building peace. A 2017 survey showed that 72% of Zimbabweans trust churches.
“Churches are credible, and people have a positive attitude toward them. Churches provide refuge during and after the struggle,” Ncube said.
Many church leaders view Gukurahundi as “deeply political” and outside the church’s mandate. Ncube, however, said that Zimbabwe must not confine the role of the church to the spiritual realm while leaving politics solely to politicians.
Under President Emmerson Mnangagwa — who was minister of state security during the Gukurahundi period — the Zimbabwean government has initiated conversations with civil society activists and traditional leaders from the regions most affected. These meetings, arranged through the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, introduced programs such as the Matabeleland Initiative.
“The church is key in addressing such political atrocities and has a role in facilitating forgiveness and healing,” Ncube said. “People are afraid to freely speak about what happened, but church leaders can provide a safe space where dialogue can take place between the perpetrators of Gukurahundi and the survivors or families of the victims. These dialogues must occur away from state houses and venues where ruling party hooligans could interfere.”
Churches in Zimbabwe have been criticized for not doing enough to pressure the government to address the unresolved massacres. This time, some church leaders and local communities are calling for greater church involvement, emphasizing the critical role of faith-based institutions in fostering reconciliation and healing.
The 1997 Catholic report, “Breaking the Silence, Building True Peace,” gave a voice to the marginalized. Despite resistance from the government, the church continues to issue statements and pastoral letters to advocate for accountability. However, many now insist that the church must be actively involved in the reconciliation process.
“Church leaders must ensure that the president, who was the minister of state security during Gukurahundi, offers a public apology. That would give victims and the affected hope to begin genuine dialogue and healing. Without that, it's just a sideshow, and the church will have failed the Ndebele people and all peace-loving Zimbabweans,” said a local headman from Matabeleland who requested anonymity from Religion Unplugged for security reasons.
Many outspoken Catholic clergy have faced persecution. However, one prominent cleric who has maintained a close relationship with the government is Father Fidelis Mukonori, a Jesuit priest who aided in the birth of Zimbabwe as its founding was negotiated in 1979 in London.
“We saw the role played by Father Mukonori in persuading Robert Mugabe to resign in 2017 and avoid bloodshed,” said Chrispen Mutari, a peace and conflict resolution expert. “The church has been an important participant in politics. Father Mukonori enjoys a cordial relationship with the current leader. He could help convince him to apologize and finally resolve the issue, especially given the Catholic Church’s strong presence in the affected region.”
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.