Peace advocacy group, Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT) has launched a campaign aimed on promoting peaceful and inclusive participation of citizens in the upcoming harmonized elections.
Dubbed #AsOne, the campaign is targeting mainly areas that have been hotspots of political violence in the past and is premised on three pillars namely tolerance, harmony and Ubuntu (humanity).
“The launch, held in the form of a nhimbe in line with Heal Zimbabwe Trust’s tradition of using traditional and customary convening platforms was attended by local leaders of diverse political parties, traditional leaders and community leaders of Ward 19 and 7 in Zaka.
“All the traditional leaders present, took turns to encourage the 79 villagers present to participate freely and peacefully in the upcoming harmonized elections and prevent a repeat of dark episodes of past electoral violence particularly the 2008 violent elections that claimed lives and livelihoods in Zaka,” said HZT.
The campaign launch was attended by a diverse group of local leaders, including traditional leaders, community leaders, and representatives from different political parties suggesting that there is a shared commitment to promoting peace and stability in the community, which is essential for the success of the campaign.
Heal Zimbabwe Trust Executive Director, Rashid Mahiya focus will be on areas that have been characterized by violence during election period.
“The campaign will be taken across the country with a critical focus on areas that have traditional been hot-spots of political violence and intolerance to encourage peaceful participation, tolerance and harmony in the diversity of political choices,” said Mahiya
Meanwhile, HZT took the campaign to Buhera West Constituency in Manicaland province where a peace club code named Kugara Kunzwanana convened a nhimbe (community cooperation) at Chipuriro homestead to harvest finger millet, which brought more than 40 villagers including 5 village heads, 1 headman other community leaders.
Speaking at the event, Headman Marume urged all village heads under his jurisdiction to desist from partisan politics and closing political space on behalf of any political actors.
He spoke at length of the importance of family unit and relations that bind most rural communities and stressed that no political affiliation must break the unity of the community.
