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Locadia Mavhudzi, Midlands Correspondent
TRADITIONAL and church leaders in the Midlands Province have been implored to take a leading role in addressing past, current and future conflicts through the creation of structures for violence prevention and non-recurrence.
Officiating at a one-day workshop for chiefs and church leaders from the province organised by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) in Gweru, the Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, Larry Mavima, said peace building and conflict resolution are key if the country is to achieve vision 2030.
“Government in its Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) rightly notes that the aspirations of vision 2030 are anchored on a set of values, one of which is peace and national unity. Reform measures of TSP entail a departure from past commissions and omissions, peaceful co- existence of various segments of the society and healing wounds of the past. Therefore, the coming in of chiefs and churches is well inline with the desire to ensure that we facilitate the setting up of structures to address conflicts in our province,” he said.
Minister Mavima said he was confident that the delegates that attended yesterday’s workshop were equal to the daunting task of fostering healing, reconciliation, conflict prevention as well as identifying and dealing with potential triggers of conflict in the province.
Addressing the same gathering, Senator Chief Ngungumbane, who leads the Midlands Provincial Chiefs Council said the province must urgently address the issue of machete wielding miners who are terrorising people in some parts of the province.
“One of our tasks at hand is the issue of increasing violence in the mining sector that has seen Government declaring war against machete wielding artisanal miners who are terrorising people in areas such as Kwekwe, Mberengwa, Shurugwi and other mining communities. Most of the criminals are still at large and police have had a torrid time in locating some of the mining syndicates involved in the running battles due to their high mobility and elusive identities,” he said.
Church leaders pledged their commitment to spreading the message of peace and tolerance amongst their congregants.
Online Reporter