The sources said Mugabe told Cabinet that the team, which will comprise of representatives of the three political parties in the inclusive government, will be smaller for easier management of the controversial topic.
Mugabe said the issue of Gukurahundi, during which an estimated 20 000 people in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces were murdered, was divisive and had the potential of wrecking the inclusive government.
He suggested that the matter be taken out of Cabinet.
“He said why don’t we take it out of cabinet and select a few to discuss the issue and map the way forward,” said one minister who attended the meeting. “Cabinet agreed but many believe it was a diversionary tactic by the old man.”
He continued, “People must be careful of this old fox because he tries to divert anything that faces him personally. How many commissions have been set and nothing happens after that?”
The minister said Mugabe wanted to defer the issue until after the Southern African Development Community (SADC) extra-ordinary summit slated for May 20, which is going to discuss problems bedevilling the unity government.
The sources said the contentious issue cropped up after the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Advocate Eric Matinenga questioned why National Healing and Reconciliation Minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu was being brought to court in leg-irons as if he was a hardcore criminal.
Mzila-Ndlovu was arrested for failing to notify the police when he addressed a memorial service for Gukurahundi where he allegedly said the late Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) boss Mernard Muzariri did not deserve a national hero status as he was guilty of killing a PF-Zapu official in the 1980s.
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“We had finished all items on the agenda when this was raised under any other business,” said a Cabinet minister who attended the meeting. “The discussion then became passionate and heated to the extent that Vice-President (Joice) Mujuru almost failed to control it.”
Mujuru was chairing the meeting because Mugabe had left the venue but was later spotted at the Medical Chambers in the avenues in Harare.
When Mugabe returned after about an hour, said another minister, Mujuru refused to continue chairing the meeting even after the insistence of the President because she detested the controversial nature of the subject that was being discussed.
During the meeting Mugabe was blamed for all the violence by the army and the selective application of the law by police as he is overly in charge of all security organs.
Sources said MDC-T ministers accused Mugabe of blessing the operations of the police under Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and those of the army under Zimbabwe Defences Forces Commander Constantine Chiwenga.
“If Chihuri continues to behaviour the manner in which he is doing it means he has the blessing of Mugabe. The same goes to the service chiefs. These serve at the pleasure of the President,” said another source.
Article 7 of the Police Act says the commissioner can be removed from office for any reason after consultation with Cabinet. “The President shall cause parliament to be informed as soon as practicable of any such removal.”
Said another Cabinet Minister said: “So the buck stops with Mugabe. All the blame lies squarely on him.”
