| Summary/Abstract |
The liberation struggle for Zimbabwe culminated in the attainment of independence from the autocratic rule of minority white settlers on 18 April 1980. Peace prevailed only for a short period after independence, followed by a harrowing genocide which affected the Matabeleland and Midlands regions. Much attention has been given to the role of the Fifth Brigade during this genocide. Thus, an emphasis on the actions of the Fifth Brigade soldiers leads us to negate all violence that took place during the period. Therefore, this article seeks to explore the role of the police as partners in crime with the Fifth Brigade during the Gukurahundi genocide. Further, the article raises questions of state opacity and how this was used by the police to eliminate the so-called enemies of the independent state. It draws from interviews conducted with the people of Bulilimamangwe, ex-Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army cadres and ex-policemen who served during the period and other documentary evidence to engage with the role of the police during the genocide.
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