Bombs, firecrackers and praying for peace
By Sheila Murimoga, Christian Aid Zimbabwe
There is a joke circulating on WhatsApp. Apparently, Zimbabweans are so corrupt that what was meant to be a bomb ended up being just a firecracker going off. The joke suggests that corruption has become endemic; that if someone is asked to procure a bomb, they are likely to pocket some of the money and buy a few firecrackers instead.
It is not a funny joke. Two lives were lost and at least 45 people were injured when an explosive device was detonated on 23 June 2018 at a campaign rally in Bulawayo for the ruling Zanu PF party, where the Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa had just finished his address. So why the dark sense of humour?
My colleagues at Christian Aid Zimbabwe and I have agreed that the reason lies in an exhausted capacity to cope. For at least the last 10 years Zimbabweans have had to cope with an economic and political crisis which culminated in the events of November 2017, where the sitting president Robert Mugabe ‘resigned’ and the military assisted the current president to assume power.
Another joke about the bomb at the rally suggests it is impossible to buy a bomb using ecocash (the mobile money transfer system now in widespread use, because of the crippling cash shortage)!
Beyond the jokes, there are far deeper implications from the events of 23 June. With elections coming up on 30 July 2018, many are worried. There are many conspiracy theories on what actually happened, but the real fear is that the event, though widely condemned by opposition parties and Zimbabweans in general, will be used to introduce campaigning restrictions to opposition parties and possibly affect the scheduling of elections. These events are in sharp contrast to what has been the most peaceful run up to elections since the year 2000.
Not only has President Mnangagwa been calling for peace, but structures have been established to ensure that there is no violence during elections. Peace pacts have been signed by political parties at various levels: at national level facilitated by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, and at local level facilitated by the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT), a Christian Aid Zimbabwe partner.
Despite these initiatives, the fear remains that the rhetoric is masking serious tensions, and these may erupt at any time.
Our partners CCMT, funded by the From Violence to Peace Investment Fund, and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC)and Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), funded by a grant from Irish Aid, have been supporting efforts to prepare communities to minimise violence, promote peace and be ready to respond to violence.
CCMT has been working with young women and men in three hotspot areas of Chitungwiza, Epworth and Mbare, and through their efforts at community level they have managed to bring the youth leaders of political parties together to sign a peace pledge ahead of the elections. Furthermore, they have managed to bring the youth leaders of the political parties together at national level to commit to a peaceful election. This has been a unique opportunity for young people in the communities to advocate to their leaders for peace.
ZCC has been running a campaign called I pray, I vote, encouraging women and men in Zimbabwe to pray for peace and use their voting power.
ZPP has continued to expose human rights violations and has developed a good working relationship with the Police Election Command Centre to enable swift prosecution of offenders.
Through these efforts, Christian Aid continues to invest in understanding the context, engaging partners on their security and planning ahead for every scenario, with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable peace for Zimbabwe.
Sheila Murimoga is Senior Programme Officer, Gender and Inequalities, for Christian Aid Zimbabwe. For more information about our work in Zimbabwe, visit our website or email zimbabwe-info@christian-aid.org.
