Emile Munemo/Image credit: Zimlive
The recently deceased Brigadier General Emile Munemo who is the father to Zanu-PF activist, Acie Lumumba, has been revealed as a former commander of the notorious Fifth Brigade which is accused of carrying out a genocide in Matabeleland in the 1980s. The Brigade has been accused of having killed at least 20 000 during the Gukurahundi Massacres. Munemo died on Monday following a long illness.
According to Zimlive, Munemo was the commander of one of the three Fifth Brigade battalions which was initially stationed in Zvishavane. In December 1982 he was promoted to deputy commander of the Fifth Brigade with Perrance Shiri serving as the commander. According to Munemo himself, he was mainly concerned with administration and logistics while Shiri was in charge of training and operations.
However, within four months he was promoted to commander of the Fifth Brigade after Perrance Shiri was invited to a senior officers’ course at Britain’s famous Military Academy, Sandhurst.
In an interview in 1996, Munemo is quoted as saying,
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There was no way the civilians were not aware, not part of it. The farm boy you see during the day is the guerrilla at night. It would not have been possible for any military operation to be conducted sorely against armed bandits.
According to Zimlive,
Munemo said all the brigades involved wanted to deliver “the final solution to the Prime Minister” Robert Mugabe. The term “final solution” was used during World War II with regard to the extermination of Jews.
Acie Lumumba revealed in 2016 that he grew up with a stepfather who was of DRC and Malawian origin. Mutumanje said he did not know until 2015 that Munemo was his father.
Mourners are gathered at No. 48 Alexandra Drive, Hatfield, in Harare.
