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On the 28th of March 2023, Heal Zimbabwe took the #AsOne Campaign to Buhera West and introduced it to community leaders. The local peace structure, aptly named Kugara Kunzwanana Peace Club convened a nhimbe (group of farmers working together) at the Chipuriro homestead to harvest finger millet, which brought more than 40 villagers including 5 village heads, 1 headman other community leaders.
Speaking at the event, Headman Marume urged all village heads under his jurisdiction to desist from partisan politics and closing political space on behalf of any political actors. He spoke at length of the importance of family unit and relations that bind most rural communities and stressed that no political affiliation must break the unity of the community.
Kugara Kunzwanana Peace Club Chair Mrs. Machingura outlined the community works the peace club had done to build peace, trust, and social in Buhera together with Heal Zimbabwe Trust, with community healing and social cohesion in villages previously affected by political violence standing up tall as a huge success story. The peace club embraced the campaign and the task to build peace, strengthen the values of Ubuntu, and encourage peaceful participation and political tolerance as Buhera faces another plebiscite in 2023.
Speaking on behalf of Heal Zimbabwe Trust, Tapiwanashe Chiriga explained the #AsOne Campaign, clarifying its pillars and non-partisan theme message – Harmony in Diversity which was well received by the community.
All village heads present, led by village head Makumbe thanked Heal Zimbabwe Trust for the work done in the past decade to bring social cohesion at the community level and assist survivors and the families of victims of political violence. The village heads welcomed the #AsOne Peace Campaign as it spoke to the values of Ubuntu, tolerance and peaceful participation.