Heal Zimbabwe has intensified its campaign for peace ahead of the 2018 elections. On the Saturday 30th of June 2018, Heal Zimbabwe trust and its community peace structures conducted a sports for peace tournament in Murehwa North ward 8, at Zhombwe Primary School. The tournament brought various community members from various political persuasions as well as aspiring candidates who led by example by pledging for peace and encouraged peaceful participation in the upcoming elections.
The tournament saw 7 soccer teams and 6 netball teams battling for the Sports for peace trophy. The major highlight of the sports for peace tournament was when all aspiring Council candidates from all political parties pledged for peace and publicly urged community members to shun violence ahead of elections. Speaking at the same occasion, Mashonaland East Proportionate Representative Member of Parliament Ms Spiwe Muchenje (MDC-T), emphasized the importance of peace and tolerance ahead of elections. “I would want to commend all political parties for this historic commitment, I encourage all aspiring candidates to ensure that they uphold their promise on the need to promote peace and tolerance ahead of elections”, she said. All the aspiring candidates who pledged for peace commended Heal Zimbabwe for the initiative and further highlighted that such a move was key in the attainment of peace ahead of elections.
Heal Zimbabwe will utilize the peace pledges to hold aspiring candidates to uphold peace in the event that they renege on their promise to preach message of peace and tolerance ahead of elections. The Sports for peace campaign by Heal Zimbabwe come at a time when the organisation has intensified its campaign for peace by using sports for peace tournaments and peace concerts in a bid to disperse message of peace and tolerance ahead of the elections.
Source: Heal Zimbabwe
