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Tsholotsho steps up efforts to promote peace ahead of 2018 elections

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COMMUNITY leaders in Tsholotsho district have stepped up efforts to promote peace in their localities as the nation braces for 2018 elections.

COMMUNITY leaders in Tsholotsho district have stepped up efforts to promote peace in their localities as the nation braces for 2018 elections.

BY SILAS NKALA

Heal Zimbabwe Trust, a civic organisation is helping villagers across the country to form peace clubs in efforts to curb election-related violence.

The trust, in a statement, said since last month community peace clubs in Tsholotsho North wards 5, 3, 8 and 1 organised a series of collaborative platforms (Amalima) aimed at promoting peace and tolerance ahead of the 2018 elections.

“The collaborative neutral platforms were attended by 250 community members, eight Traditional leaders (7 Village heads and 1 Headman) and 10 Village Development Committee (VIDCO) members. The nhimbes were held under the Heal Zimbabwe #15MillionVoicesForPeace National Peace Campaign meant to promote peaceful participation in the 2018 elections,” said the trust.

“ The collaborative neutral platforms saw the peace clubs mobilising community members for clean-up campaigns at local schools and business centres. One of the major issue that came out during the Amalima was rampant unemployment especially among youths. Community members noted that this posed a serious threat to the prevalence of peace since in previous elections many youths have been used by some political players to perpetrate human rights violations.”

Heal Zimbabwe indicated that as a way forward, the peace clubs proposed to conduct Sports for Peace tournaments that will specifically target youths where they can raise awareness on the need for peace and tolerance ahead of the plebiscite.

“The tournaments shall encourage youth to be peace ambassadors, taking an active role in mobilising communities to shun any form of violence ahead of the elections. Heal Zimbabwe through its community peace structures, is currently implementing a series of collaborative neutral platforms across the country meant to promote peace and tolerance in local communities,” said the trust.

“A Peace Club is a ward-based community group of people who come together to promote peaceful coexistence in their communities. Peace club membership is drawn from diverse local community members that include traditional leaders, church leaders, women, youth, business people, people with disabilities and village health workers.”