Traditional and church leaders must help society to inculcate a culture of peace in the country in view of its violence-ridden history, Vice-President (VP) John Nkomo said.
Addressing a meeting of the Organ on National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation and the Chiefs Council Nkomo said:
“We are going back to where we started from because the children of Zimbabwe are fighting among themselves.”
He said the Traditional Leaders Act empowered traditional leaders to resolve disputes within their jurisdictions and they must start working towards ensuring peace.
“Now we are fighting. Are you going to lie comfortably in your graves after you have left your children fighting each other because of your failure to address these issues?” he asked the traditional leaders.
The VP also appealed to church leaders to work with chiefs in resolving political disputes.
“The churches have a task. They must have a role in the structure. They believe in prayer. They must pray for Zimbabwe. They should work with chiefs to ensure good moral values among Zimbabweans,” Nkomo said.
Chiefs’ Council president Fortune Charumbira said it was time to move beyond lip service in dealing with violence, which has given the country a soiled reputation.
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“Chiefs are not happy when their areas are rocked by violence. Political parties seeking votes are the primary cause,” he said.
Chief Chiduku, who is the Senator for Manicaland, also criticised violence saying it was driven by outsiders as their people had a culture of living and working together.
According to Sekai Holland, the Minister of State for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration in the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was organised to give an update to chiefs on progress made by the organ.
