Nkala and Joshua Nkomo had political differences dating from 1963 when Nkala helped establishing ZANU as an alternative to ZAPU which was led by Nkomo. After independence, Nkala allegedly pioneered the Gukurahundi massacres while he was the Minister of Defence a role which he regrets.45 In an interview with Dongozi (a journalist), Nkala says “The massacres in Matabeleland and the Midlands by the government are something that I regret.”46 The violations from Gukurahundi have not been addressed. For instance, some women raped during the liberation struggle and during the Gukurahundi era have children without birth certificates. They bore the children out of rape abuses and some of the perpetrators are known but they regarded as untouchables. Hence, the women continue to live with wounds that require healing. Political violence: Spanning from the 2000 -2016 electoral episodes is also considered as a key issue requiring reconciliation. Between these stated periods violence was unleashed upon political opponents. Some respondents describe this phase as follows; By 2000 the constitution movement geared at addressing the post-independence injustices as a reaction to state oppression, this saw the defeat of the government in the 2000 constitutional referendum. Subsequent reprisal was expressed through the land acquisition in retaliation against the white commercial farmers who had supported the no vote. Since the year 2000, the MDC supporters suffered intense state sponsored violence. The conflict, in fact, showed several characters: the state vs people, national youth service graduates vs Zimbabweans, ZANU PF vs the opposition party and war veterans vs people.47 These different conflict characteristics identify actors in the Zimbabwe conflict episodes. The state became more aggressive against the people in defence of ZANU PF that was losing political ground.48 ZANU PF and its surrogate youths and war veterans also started perpetrating violence on the citizens, white commercial farmers and opposition parties without restraint. The conflation of the state and party meant that citizens’ security became compromised. ZANU PF became the major sponsor of political violence as it found expediency in supporting the war veterans and youths grievances. Political intolerance increased in Zimbabwe such that the apex of hostility resulted in the torture of political opponents, arson, abductions and direct physical assault among other forms of human rights violations. The country’s political conflict became more challenging because of the military service chiefs who proclaimed never to allow a President or political leaders to be in power without liberation war credentials. It is within this context that communities want a process that promotes reconciliation so that political tolerance and trust are built sustainably. (2013) Nkala itched for Nkomo’s Blood –Mugabe. News Day. Retrieved from, https://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/08/30/ nkala-itched-nkomos-blood-mugabe/ 46 Dongozi, F. (2013). EnosNkala’s last controversial interview. The Independent. Retrieved from https://www. theindependent.co.zw/2013/09/06/enos-nkalas-last-controversial-interview/ 47 Personal interview with a former Member of Parliament in Chinhoyi on the 12th of June 2016 48 Sachikonye, L. (2011). When a state turns on its citizens: 60 years of institutionalised violence in Zimbabwe. African Books Collective. 45 26 RECONCILIATION PROCESSES IN ZIMBABWE