Forgetting as a Psychological Weapon? Critiquing the Call to Forget in a Zimbabwe Founded and Ruled by Violence

What is a theological-ethic that the church can use to challenge Mnangagwa’s use of forgetting as a psychological game to torture the victims of his violent campaign in Zimbabwe? This chapter is a theological-ethical critique of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s plea to let bygones be bygones. The chapter argues that Mnangagwa uses forgetting as a psychological tool to oppress the victims of his violence. To answer the research question, the chapter first describes the importance of a critical theological-ethic of memory to the church’s (the universal community of believers) engagement with the political call to forgive and forget, such as one made by Mnangagwa. The chapter then describes Mnangagwa’s ironic plea to let bygones be bygones while he still subscribes to an ideology of violence. This is followed by describing how Mnangagwa uses the notion of letting bygones be bygones as a psychological tool. The following section discusses how some Zimbabwean churches are easily enticed by Mnangagwa’s rhetoric of forgiving and forgetting. The chapter closes by suggesting the recognition of the human dignity of victims should inform the church’s theological-ethic of engaging Mnangagwa’s call to let bygones be bygones.