BULAWAYO (ZimEye) – AN ex-ZIPRA official has broken the silence on the 1982 discovered arms caches that led to the Gukurahundi massacres, saying the weapons belonged to South Africa’s ruling party African National Congress (ANC) military wing, Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK).
Former Zipra cadre Cetshwayo Sithole told Zapu youths at the party’s regional offices in Bulawayo, that Zapu couldn’t reveal that the arms belonged to MK because it would be “improper.”
“It’s true that we were keeping arms but they belonged to Umkhonto Wesizwe’s arms. When we surrendered our arms at Brady barracks, we couldn’t surrender MK’s arms as well. The truth must be known. We had kept the arms. Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku just kept quiet about it in court,” he said.

The then Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Robert Mugabe deployed the 5th Brigade in Matabeleland and Midlands in 1983 after claiming to have unearthed an arms cache in February 1982 at Zipra properties.
Matabeleland and Midlands were Ndebele speaking strongholds of Zapu, who had won a paltry 20 parliamentary seats in the country’s first democratic elections in 1980.
However a treason trial in 1982 involving Lookout Masuku, Dumiso Dabengwa and four others, built around the discovery of the arms cache, failed to prove a case against them and they were all released.
Dabengwa and Masuku were re-detained without trial for four years but Masuku died in prison.
Sithole continued:
“We (Zapu) need to be in parliament so that we can send to the Hague people who are guilty of Gukurahundi. We should first take power, starting with Bulawayo,” he said.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
46 Replies to ““ANC weapons triggered Gukurahundi””
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Did Zanu FP and the government know the weapons belonged to Umkhonto?
But this Safirio is also your friend Jumpdog he is Mukadota
Safiriyo Madzikatire that you are brain dead does not justify why you should inherit a dead man’s name. Nkala is a Ndebele outcast who is only a fan and an authority to ZPF. Just think him for teaching you how creat a looting structure.
He is one fool who sees himself as a national figure. A belly cwraler who is so pleased that Mugabe spoke to him and excited by cheap things such as being visited by so and so and being a friend of so and so.
In a Matebeleland unlike in Mashonaland we do not take a fool’s conduct as a precedent.
Tokokoshi u are one for sure. Matebeleland is long forgitten and the army is nw more united than before. Mandex sort yoselves ou muvhoterane notvwastevtime voting Tsvangay muShona kikiki. Only until then can we take yo comments serious Cedric, Jumpdaki, Nekhedhi, Sholani
“ANC weapons”, so Gwasela thot they were toys?
Safiriyo,Mhatabeleland wil hire Mani kongo(proud shona)to lead them.in the same way they hired msika(shona),mtambara to lead them.culture of folowing.kikikiki.
Safirio Madzikatire, why putting your head in sand if you want to hide. You are known as Mukadota on this forum and you have done the right thing of copying and pasting the above article which is also in the Herald. By using the real name of the late comedian, you are trying to decieve your Ndex friends, Naked, Jumpdog, Gayhomo, Xolanyin, Cedricat and this small whore Tina. You don’t want them to know that you are opposed to their tribal remarks and that you also, just like any right thinking Zimbabwean, support the cause of Gukurahundi. Many thanks Mukadota but try to fight these people in the open.
I never said this but another Tshaka Zulu persecuted Nguni clown said this:
FORMER Defence Minister Enos Nkala has launched another tirade on people of Matabeleland, branding them “lazy people” who fail to control their destiny but often waste time complaining about Gukurahundi.
Nkala told journalists at his Woodlands home in Bulawayo that “it was rubbish that Matabeleland was marginalised.”
The founder of Zanu PF claimed that Matabeleland was not marginalised but lacked the courage to control their destiny.
He rumbled: “If we as Ndebeles are lazy and not grab things as others are, whose fault is it? If we do not want to empower ourselves, we cannot go around blaming others. It’s nonsense to say the people’s spirits were broken by Gukurahundi. Let’s just get out of our blankets and work.”
Nkala said people from the region should wake up from their slumber and start doing things for themselves.
He said while he supported the concept of devolution, it would not work for Matabeleland because there was serious leadership crisis.
“When we talk of devolution, we are talking about redistributing power. Who in Matabeleland can be said to be ready to take up that power? I say we should think carefully about this issue, otherwise we might create more problems for ourselves,” said the former Defence Minister, who is also blamed for the Gukurahundi massacres.
“People in the region should think carefully before calling for devolution of power in the new Constitution.”
He further ruled out that he would return to politics especially after swelling speculation over his recent meeting with President Robert Mugabe in Bulawayo.
“However, I will continue keeping in touch with politicians who are my friends, like Robert Mugabe and Dumiso Dabengwa, who still visit me from time to time.”
Nkala said he was bitter about the way he was forced to leave politics in 1989.
“I had to resign in anger over the so-called Willowgate scandal. I still maintain that there is nothing wrong with buying a car and selling it for a little profit. That is business,” he said.
“Like a proud Ndebele, I felt wounded ukuthi ngiyethonisiswa ngokungabafana okuncane engakukhululayo ngempi (I could not wait to be tried by small boys that I liberated),” said Nkala, who is battling ill-health.
This Ndebele man is a liar.Why has he kept quiet for all these years.And why is he speaking for Dabengwa as if he is dead?You want to gain political mileage that will never come.Rubbish!
zanu did work correctly.with al that body,nkomo was made to deputise shot and shap mgabe.Gukura was gud.next time we wil sent zrp,green bombers(interahamwe),chipangano militias dealing with ndevans.
Buya e Bulawayo wena Naked .i wnt to remove your trouser ngibone noma ungela isavesani.
Wena Chimoto I told u b4 ukuthi asihlangane e Mbalibali lapho okwathamba khona iShona lakini u Chakanetsa
We do not care what UN says because Ndebeles are expendables.
I did not say its cooked Bla Mickey mouse amawala and power hunger was always discouraged in that force called Zpra. They do not just devulge things to strangers and for your information if Tonderai was a well disciplened Zpra Cadre and 1 Tonderai=100 savages can you deny it Mickey mice?.
@Naked running away frm wht ?your orkap knife ?we shall drag u frm those Mzansi farms.sikudonsa la mase*nde your krl head in Tsholotsho wl deal wth u.
Wena Chando Kupisa n Chimoto manje this time ko gijima nina ,u gonna run like ur brother Chando ulibhekise emutoko mfana
Bla Miki, this commentator read all of it ! The story is certainly creditable.
Here is another tip bit of internal information, time is running out.
This is the 4th e-mail within the past few days that I’ve received from xxxxxxx – all on the latest that’s going on in Zimbabwe. The others are a bit long, albeit very well written, especially by xxxxxxxx of the MDC, but I’ll forward them to you if you like. Basically Zimbabwe is broke and all sources of expected assistance are refusing to come to the party until there is a proper general election. xxxxxxx reckons ZANU(PF) wouldn’t get 5% of the votes, the Army top brass are fighting amongst themselves and most commentators predict an impending uprising. Cross reckons that the only option for the ZANU leadership is to flee the country !
Cdrk Masibanda ppl i told u is mental ptnt.Who hv time to read those long meaningless irrelavnt stories he rewrites here?Sml minds abuses its masters
hameno vakomana ndimimunoziva handei narwo.
At least you seem to acknowledge that the above story is a cooked piece of junk Mr Jumpdog unlike the Cedricat who goes on copying and pasting articles not relevant to the subject. Nobody reads beyond the second paragraph of your rubbish Cedricat.
Mr Sithole hw can u be in parliament when ppl in your region vote MDC T?Gukurahundi was a necessary evil or else we cld rsk a civil war lik the DRC one whch was going to result in millions of civilian deaths.There is no Mat land nw its Zim.u cn be anywhere even during midnight wthout fear .job wel don cdes
In July 1983 my brother who was employed by the ministry of construction as a surveyor was kidnaped by dissidents along the Bulawayo-Kezi road.His body and that of his work mates were found in Matopo national park about 60 kms from Bulawayo. The earth moving equipment they were using by burnt to ashes.The dissidents left a note which said they were on a mission to get rid of all Shonas in matabeleland and they would destroy everything that was associated with Shonas and Government. My brother and others were merely carrying out their duties and to help develop Matabeleland for that matter when they were attacked. Manje unonzwa tumwe tumbwa twanga tusati twambozvarwa tuchingotaura zvatusingazivi.Just look at how this fool Cetshwayo Sithole is trying to confuse issues,its either he was too junior to know what was going on or he is totally ignorant of the truth.
When Msilikazi established his Kingdom in Guruuswa it was after deafeating the locals.So there you are cdes. the ball is in your court.
Must read Tonderai is not an official Zapu Spokesman so do not attribute what he says to Zapu doggies.
This punk called Mutoto must know understand that Tonderai is a Zapu official spokesman.
Secondly those who want to ask Mantashe on their way from looting diamonds must also know that Zpra like Mkonto Wesizwe never operatred like a pub where all issues are free for discussion. I never saw Mentashe myself during the war but I meet a quite a number of high profile ANC cadres like Chris Hani and this might mean Mantashe knew nothing about umkhonto operation.
Why not ask Mbeki why he was in detained. As for Bla Miki I have never known any blubber mouth to beat him. The guy can just go into a trance and talk and talk we will………….
The ANC of today is not the ANC of the liberation period. The guys love money. They can say anything. Its not the first thing I have heard this. I have even heard that Thabo Mbeki was once arrestred in Zimbabwe. The ANC cadres told us that Mugabe had first told Oliver Tambo to denounce Zapu before the ANC could be given assistance before even the so called arms discovery. Tambo left and was only told later to open an office. Zanupf supported PAC in and out during the struggle. Now Zanupf has diamonds and money. ANC are shouting praises to Zanupf for things Zanupf never did for them. The truth does not change and it will prevail.
When Bob goes to ICC, for what happened to Gwesela and Company during the 1980s, we will start part two of that episode. Mthwakazi must be wiped off the map nomakanjani.
Faeces from lake chivero water is messing up blah mickey mouse and thuvi perence munyasarandi piri’s small brains!! While you celebrate your history of genocide, us the Ndebele are watching in joy as you butcher each other over mgabe and tswangirayi, 200 dead in 2008, 20000 in the next election, 300000 when mgabe dies and the real power struggles begin!! Remember shona soldiers are only good at pungwes(a name with no ndebele/ZIPRA equivalent because they were busy fighting Rhodesians not killing civilians at night) and at butchering women and children. So we wait in confident anticipation to see you fools implode! So enjoy gukurahundi killings as much as you like, kuyeza ngakini masw.ina!!!!
nxA!
You shonas can deride lookout masuku and joshua nkomo all you like but that won’t stop you from butchering each other.Go on bob,stay in power and kill as many shona savages as possible and force them to drink faeces infested water from chivero.
Owk guys zapu finaly admits after all these years that they knew the arms belonged to the ANC if that’s the case who then is to blame ?? 1)Dumiso Dabengwa 2)Lookout Masuku 3)0ethwayo sithole and the other 4 who knew but professed ignorance over who the arms belonged to in simple laymans terms 5abengwa and company let their own people down by protecting the ANC but for what ???
Another witches (nehanda n kaguvi) offspring called Chimpanduranyiki showing his typical stupid Shona mentality
Muchamama maNDEERE.KUTITENGESERA NYIKA NEKUDA SUGAR.MAKAPUSA
Gukurahundi triggered OPERATION WIPE OUT AMASHONA that’s the future heading Bla Miki Shiri n Tsano
Give better news man when i saw breaking news i thought it was the allowing of guy rights in zimbabwe me and my MIFE miss zimbabwe right now we work in mzanzi and rest in malawi were we are at least tolerate Tsano dnt start i will sodomize you with words u hear me
ANC mmmmmm look for anither excuse u dump power hungry tribalist. Editor just phone or email Mentashe so we get their response so u can silenve these tribalists. Manje hamunyari ana Naked, Xolani, Savage Cedricw
kotuvhi kotuvhi kudini thats what you ate for dinner what is the UN were has the UN gone and resolved anything like i said keep on dreaming you foreign dickheads
This is worth reading – it’s about shona going to kill shona. Let’s hope that it is all true because if it is there is going to be some very interesting fireworks amongst the shona savages. It’s what we refer to “self destruct mode”. get on with it comrades and do it, don’t talk about it….
This story has been sent me by someone who does not wish to be identified
I had the rare opportunity of meeting ————- and
engaging in discussions that lasted more than 3 hours. I deftly
manipulated the discussion so we spent more time talking about hard
politics. I particular we discussed the constitutional reform
process, elections, succession, the position of the military with
regards contemporary political issues and the security situation
now and in the foreseeable future.
I will share with you only snippets of what I perceive to be the
most important issues that arose from the discussion.
The military, as is Zanu Pf, is totally opposed to the draft
constitution produced by COPAC, and they have resolved to ensure
that the draft is not endorsed and should never be brought to a
referendum in its current state. They have joined forces with Zanu
Pf in their condemnation of the draft, and they have developed a
three-phased strategy to deal with the issue, and it goes something
like:
Phase one, which they are currently implementing, involves
critiquing the draft, and possibly shredding it to pieces, and
convincing the nation and the world that the document is so
deficient as to be unsuitable for a constitution. The conclusion of
this phase would be marked by Zanu Pf, with the support of the
military, openly rejecting the draft document in its entirety and
pressing for the dissolution of COPAC and closure of the
constitution making process.
Phase two would involve President Mugabe announcing election dates
and dissolving Parliament. Zanu Pf would insist on holding the
elections under the old constitution, and would dismiss any
protestations by the MDC and any threats to boycott the poll as
inconsequential. They would do everything possible to secure
victory for President Mugabe and the party, the focus being on
controlling both the House of Assembly and the Senate.
The final phase, which would come immediately after the elections,
would involve the Zanu Pf dominated parliament selecting a
constitutional review committee to draft a constitution. The
committee would depend on the COPAC outreach document, the Kariba
Draft, the Constitutional Commission Draft that was rejected in
2000 and the current Lancaster House Constitution as the main
source documents in coming up with a new draft constitution. The
draft would be taken to a referendum within the shortest possible
timeframe.
Zanu Pf envisage that the new constitution would retain an all-powerful
executive president and provide for a way for President
Mugabe to hand over power to successor who would guarantee his
safety.
I spoke to a senior MDC-T official who professed ignorance about
this Zanu Pf strategy. And when I asked him how the MDC would
possibly respond to such developments, he said he was not sure how.
His honest opinion was that the MDC was ill-prepared to respond to
such a scenario and the party’s only recourse would be to turn to
SADC and the international community with pleas for intervention.
The constitution envisioned by Zanu Pf would provide for a clear
succession procedure, where the VP would take over and complete the
term of the president should anything happen so that he is unable
to complete his elected term. This then places VP Mujuru in a
better position to take over from Mugabe. This is probably what has
ruffled Mnangagwa’s feathers and compelled him to publicly declare
his willingness to contest for the top job.
Contrary to what is peddled by the media, Gen Chiwenga does not
lead a faction in Zanu Pf and is not interested in taking over from
Mugabe, either as party leader or state president. He actually
belongs to the Mnangagwa faction, and is instrumental in achieving
the militarization of the party. When he retires, he would like a
position in the politburo, a Senate or parliamentary seat and
probably a ministerial post.
Chiwenga’s vision is to see the military depending less on funds
from treasury, and relying instead on profits generated by
businesses in which the military is a JV partner. He is the brains
behind the mining of diamonds by the military in Chiadzwa in
conjunction with Anjin of China; the acquisition of platinum claims
from the ZMDC in Selous and the creation of a JV (Global Platinum
Resources) between the ZDF and Norinco of China; the acquisition of
vast tract of agricultural land across the country and the
acquisition of prime land in Harare where the army and its Chinese
partners are building what could be Harare’s biggest hotel. Three
other hotels are planned for in Mutare, Bulawayo and Masvingo. His
focus is therefore on weaning the military from the state during
peacetime, and not on running for political office.
On the issue of national security, ————- said the military
was not engaged in rhetoric when they say they are not prepared to
countenance a possible MDC victory. They mean it and they are ready
to take over power in the event the MDC wins the next election.
On the issue of elections he said there was nothing that could stop
President Mugabe and Zanu Pf going ahead with the elections in
2012.
He said the reasons for wanting the elections this year were
totally different from the reasons peddled by the media, namely
that Zanu Pf wanted to have the elections before age and health of
their presidential candidate, Presidential Mugabe, deteriorated to
levels that would make it difficult for him to endure the rigours
of the campaign trail. In other words, the media and some people in
Zanu Pf that we have spoken to have suggested that an early
election was part of the Zanu Pf strategy to manage the succession
issue.
But ————- said Zanu Pf was concerned about possible
pressure from the international community, especially from
countries perceived to be unfriendly, wanting to monitor and
observe the elections. The party was also concerned about the
international media, which it perceives to be largely hostile,
focusing on Zimbabwe’s elections and reporting in a way that would
likely influence opinion against them.
According to Zanu Pf’s analysis, 2012 is the most ideal year to
have elections…the new administration in Paris is focused on
domestic issues. Germany is expecting elections in 2013 and
Chancellor Merkel is focusing on winning a crucial third term and
her biggest preoccupation is finding a lasting solution to the
economic crisis afflicting Europe. Brussels is inward looking and
under pressure to find solutions to the crisis that threatens to
unravel the union. The US is preparing for elections in November,
and the UN and the world media are focusing on the crisis in Syria
and the possible pre-emptive strike on Iran and the consequences of
that on world peace.
So, Zanu Pf believe that this is the time most ideal to have
elections in Zimbabwe, when global attention is focused to more
important developments across the world.
This was a completely new revelation, which is at variance with
what are generally believed to be the reasons for Zanu Pf wanting
elections as soon as possible.
Okungo blah mickey mouse lokuyinja kothuvi okuzibiza perence shiri ihotshi leyana kuphongukuqaphisa amatshoba kuveza imd.idi yakho yokuzibhobozela. Zizonya kuphela izinja lezi, liyofika ilanga! Bazophika sesibabambile!!
While we chat about weaponry the shona savages continue to loot, and this is only the tip of the iceberg….
Zimbabwe’s finance minister has made a bold claim that a clique of
politicians from a rival political party are on a diamond looting spree to
bank roll their lavish life styles.
Topping the list of luxuries allegedly procured by Zanu PF politicians are
expensive private jets.
′′Tendai Biti claims the unbridled theft of the gems in the southern African
country can only be compared with the kleptocratic regime of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, then Zaire, during the late Mobutu Sese Seko’s era. ′′
Biti, who is the secretary general from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai led
MDC, says the looters were not afraid of flaunting their ill-gotten riches.
′′”There is no doubt that a small coterie of individuals is benefitting from
Zimbabwe’s diamonds. Some of us who are benefiting, are not afraid to flaunt
our monies. We are buying all kinds of assets.′′
At least you are saying your stupid pro gukurahundi nonsense while taking cover behind the keyboard!! No shona ever dares to talk like that in public! Bla Mickey mouse and perence the nyasaland should come out of hiding and talk like this in public! I assure you they will both taste the sweet blade of my blood thirsty knife!!!
silly Bla Miki, do you think ANC will actually open up and accept responsibility for Gukurahundi?
But the gud news is UN said no impunity for gukurahundi killings we gonna catch u one by one, u can write what ever u want but deep inside nilo valo u don’t sleep at night okungapheliyo kuyahlola
BLAMIKI 10/10 WHY WOULD ANC STASH WEAPONS IN ZIMBABWE THOSE WEAPONS FOUND ON ZAPU PROPERTIES WERE COMING FROM ZAMBIA WERE ZIPRA WAS BASED EVEN KAUNDA CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSVESTITE QUEEN NKOMO HAD ASKED HIM TO RELEASE THEM AND REMIT THEN TO THE GOVERNMENT BUT ALAS NO HE WAS KEEPING THEM FOR WHAT WE DNT KNOW LUCKILY WE MANAGED TO DEAL WITH THE WOULD BE COBRA BEFORE IT GOT OUT OF HAND GUKURAHUNDI AS MENTIONED BY MIKI WAS VERY VERY IMPORTANT AS NDEVHANZ ASKED FOR IT AND GOT IT
This is boolsheet from Zapu. Why would the ANC have thousands of armmunation stashed in Zimbabwe under the hands of a political party when they were supposed to be using these arms? Was Gayigusu and Gwasela members of the Umkhonto Wesizwe? Why were they murduring in cold blood all shona speaking persons in Midlands and Matebeleland? The Zanu Pf government at that time harboured a number of senior ANC cadres in Zimbabwe among them, Cde Mbeki and the Sisulus as well as the PAC, how come all of them at that time new nothing about the dissidents and their arm caches? Infact Mr Editor, what did the ANC say about this stupid allegation by Zapu? Did you even check with Gwede Mentashe to find out the authenticity of this stupid allegation by these foolish tribal rebels? Cde Mentashe is just a phone call away . I personally feel Gukurahundi was a timely intervention by our alert security forces in silencing all elements bent on causing civil unrest on an otherwise peaceful nation. The same could have happened in Harare, Masvingo or Mutare. I therefore do not give a damn to whatever happened in Matebeleland and Midlands Provinces in the 80’s for it was self inflicted.
interesting !