…but NGO forum decries, ‘A peace that is no peace’ following contentious elections
Tichaona Zindoga
The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission has urged Zimbabweans to preserve peace and build a harmonious future for all generations.
The commission said in a statement marking the United Nations International Day of Peace – celebrated annually on September 21 – that peace was imperative for development.
Following divisive elections held last August, the body also underscored the need for peace and a key ingredient to national unity and stability.
“The country’s national development framework sends strong pointers about the actions that need to be pursued towards the furtherance of peace, national unity and mutually edifying interrelatedness as we journey towards Vision 2030,” NPRC said.
“These include the promotion of inciusive dialogue and tolerance, promotion of peace building initiatives and strengthening of national andnsub-national peace infrastructures,” it said.
The universal theme for this year is, “Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals”.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a civic body, said it was concerned by “A peace that is no peace” obtaining in the country following August polls.
It said it had identified covert violence which has since manifested into direct violence in the post-election phase.
“Direct violence has manifested in the form of assaults, torture, police brutality and unwarranted use of force, arson, harassment, intimidation, abductions, arbitrary arrests and attacks against polling agents,” the forum said in a statement.
“These developments are in contradiction with the tenets of the International Day of Peace to eradicate all forms of violence, including covert violence which was rife during the 2023 Harmonised Election cycle,” the organisation contended.