Day: May 22, 2024

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Chiefs and Local Peace Committee pioneers sports for peace initiative

The Gweru Local Peace Committee hosted a spectacular event that saw youths in Chiwundura participating in an anti-drug and violence sports event.

The event which was carried out in June attracted youths from across four wards. It was hosted by the Local chiefs in partnership with the Gweru Local Peace committee (LPC).

The event pioneered a unique initiative that possibly marked the beginning of a new era in Chiwundura towards peace building and peace transformation. The community leaders expressed their concerns over the increase of youth violence under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

“We requested the local Political party youth area chairpersons to mobilize young men from their political parties to participate in the sports day, with one stone we hit two birds,” said Chief Chiwundura.

The chief reiterated that the initiative will also help political tolerance since the main political party youths participated in the first game.

In 2023 the Presidential harmonized elections are set to take place sometime in winter. In the past the country braced itself for a wave of political violence that intensified as the elections get closer.

This year the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) peace committees have embarked on community political stakeholders’ inclusive initiatives set to reshape and address conflicts that have resulted in violence.

The Nkayi Local Peace committee also launched what they dubbed the Chiefs peace football trophy. Youth football teams from Gwitshi, Duhamzondo, Zinyangeni, Guwe and Nkayi Centre participated in dubby where the champion was the most peaceful team.

Chief Nkalakatha (Zwelani Ayanda Ndeweni) of Nkayi officiated the day- long tournament. The exhilarating tournament inspired youth women bystanders and supporters to carry out a proxy netball tournament.

“Nkayi has been facing challenges of artisanal mining violence in some of the areas and some clashes have been fatal and even claiming the lives of young Nkayi dwellers, I have used this platform to address this issue during the break before the final match we spoke to all the youths and advised them of the Local Peace Committee presence and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reporting mechanisms,” said Chief Nkalakatha.

ZCA will continue to support Local Peace Committees in such efforts towards creating a conducive environment for peace and development in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been inundated by spats of political violence and intolerance, human rights violations and enforced disappearances (or abductions).

Pastor Tavengwa Makore the Midlands ZCA Peace Ambassador stated that in the future they are looking forward to seeing youths from different provinces interacting in such initiatives towards promoting peace.

The Nkayi and Gweru Local Peace Committees peace plans have specifically targeted youths and have sports activities lined up for the summer. This will see them reaching out to more youths across local areas and peripheries.

Recently the Makokoba Local Peace Committee held an inter political party district peace march that hoisted the hope of Makokoba towards a future of a local community with Ubuntu, political tolerance and love of one another. It is such initiatives that will see the nation growing into a peaceful and prosperous people.

Protect women and girls….UDACIZA

Protect our women and girls...UDACIZA


Churches march against gender based violence

Churches have been in the long run blamed as some of the perpetrators of gender based violence where children are often married at a young age. 

To curb this, Gender equality and Gender-based violence five-year policy was launched in 2016. The policy was established under a project called Preventing Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Young Women, which World Vision Zimbabwe implemented, UN Women and Danida.

According to an article that was done by Newsday, the policy is in line with section 56(3) of the Zimbabwean Constitution which calls for the fair treatment of any person including women and girls.

“The policy was formulated as part of a project called Preventing Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Young Women,” read the article.


Some of the church leaders within UDACIZA received training on possible methods and ways of handling gender-based issues as well as child marriages that are happening within their constituency.

“ The church leaders were also equipped with tools to enable them to transmit the knowledge to other females at the grassroots level,” read the article.

In an interview with The Christian Voice, Bishop Edson Shamu, said they stand guided by the policy in making sure that women and girls are protected hence they have partnered with Zimbabwe Christian Alliance to raise awareness and educate congregants on the importance of eliminating gender-based violence.

“ We have seen quite a number of reports in the media where members of our sect are abusing young girls and this initiative is part of our many strategies that we are implementing to make sure that we bring an end to this culture. It will take time but we have hope that we will be able to eliminate this culture for good,” he said.

Bishop Shamu mentioned through their partnership with ZCA, they will use different platforms to educate not only members of their church on the policy that was formulated in 2016. He said this will enable them to reach out to a lot of people who are also not part of their constituency.

“We will use platforms such as radio, television and social media to share and educate people on our policy which advocates for the protection of the girl child and women from gender-based violence. We hope this will also help in shedding light to the community that as a church we also do not allow for these cultures to flourish but we are working towards ending it,” he said.