THE Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has launched a fresh bid for secession by petitioning the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to facilitate negotiations with the government over the matter.
In a petition dated May 20 addressed to Sadc executive secretary Elias Magosi in Botswana, MRP leader Mqondisi Moyo appealed for support from the regional body for its secessionist agenda.
“Mthwakazi people are counting on their extended family, the Sadc, to rescue them from dehumanisation and elimination,” Moyo wrote in the petition.
“I, therefore, request that Sadc invites representatives of the Zimbabwe government and people of Mthwakazi, including MRP and any other organisation or individual whom Sadc deems relevant to the negotiating table.
“Noting the central role that Britain and the British Royalty played in destroying Mthwakazi, I further request Sadc to invite the office of His Majesty, King Charles, and representatives of the government of the United Kingdom to the discussions. Sadc will have to facilitate the dialogue.”
Moyo said including the British in the negotiations was necessary to re-establish the Jameson Line border, which was wiped away in 1923.
The petition was received and stamped by the Sadc secretariat on May 20.
The regional bloc is yet to respond to the latest petition.
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MRP submitted a similar petition in September 2023.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa previously reiterated that Zimbabwe will remain a unitary State as recognised by the United Nations.
Mnangagwa warned opposition activists, in particular MRP, pushing for the creation of a breakaway State that their lives will be shortened.
MRP is campaigning for the creation of Mthwakazi Republic covering parts of the Midlands and all Matabeleland provinces.
Mnangagwa insists that this will not happen.
Moyo, however, said they were encouraged by the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Sadc and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), also known as Western Sahara, in support of the latter’s pursuit for self-determination.
The MoU was signed at the Sadc secretariat headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana, in April.
“For both historical and contemporary reasons stated in the accompanying letter, the people of Mthwakazi seek to secede from Zimbabwe. The country existed for many years unattached to Zimbabwe,” Moyo submitted.
“Seceding from Zimbabwe is the only avenue for our people to regain full human status, otherwise under Zimbabwe we continue as second class citizens.”
