The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has launched the Manicaland Provincial Peace Committee, taking to seven the number of such structures established throughout the country so far to steer current peace and reconciliatory efforts.
The Manicaland structure follows the setting up of similar committees in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Harare, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo.
According to NPRC, peace committees for the remaining three provinces — Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland East — will be set up in the coming weeks to ensure the commission expeditiously provides mechanism to resolve the burden of past violent conflicts while building capacities that guarantee a future of peace and reconciliation.
“These committees are meant to promote peace within the province, create and or facilitate spaces for dialogue between groups and communities,” said NPRC in a statement.
“(They) also (provide a platform) for the exchange of ideas on issues that may threaten peace and stability within the community.”
The NPRC added that the committees will be engaging in confidence and trust building activities between groups and communities in conflict within provinces.
It stated that, through its provincial committees, the commission seeks to promote tolerance building, provision of strategic advice and early warning on potential threats to the peace and stability of communities.
Among stakeholders represented in the peace committees are traditional leaders, the academia, youths, people living with disabilities, women’s groups, political parties and civic society organisations.
The formation of peace committees comes hardly a month after the NPRC undertook a 21-day outreach programme that was meant to give feedback to stakeholders. The NPRC is provided for in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and comes at a time when there has been an increase in discussions on issues surrounding the early independence era disturbances known as ‘Gukurahundi’.
