After Battles then comes War: Juxtaposing the Role of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland in Gukurahundi Healing and Reconciliation

This paper juxtaposed with the unresolved Gukurahundi which affected people from Matabeleland and Midlands between 1982 and 1987. While various attempts have been sought to address the ambivalence faced by the victims, healing and reconciliation have not materialised prompting a need to find alternatives to address the issue. In this case, the paper discussed the various programs by the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland to contribute the healing and reconciliation. The paper is couched in Juan Luis Segundo’s hermeneutics of suspicion. This theory gives a critical framework for examining religious texts and practices to uncover hidden power structures and biases that perpetuate oppression. The paper was guided by the transformative paradigm where qualitative research design was used. Data was collected through interviews and group discussions. The argument of the paper is premised on the notion that Gukurahundi while seems to be an isolated and painful period for the people in Matabeleland and Midlands, has the potential to escalate to other parts of the country as an act of revenge, hence a need to bring all possible mitigation strategies to ensure a healed and reconciled nation and the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland has a critical role to play in positioning itself as a relevant, responsible and caring institute. The paper contributes to knowledge and practices of addressing Gukurahundi by unpacking the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland approach to healing through various church social services. Keywords: Gukurahundi, Healing, Reconciliation, Hermeneutics