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Mnangagwa vows to heal past wounds

by Staff reporter
23 Dec 2021 at 05:35hrs | Views
President Mnangagwa has vowed to deal with early post-independence conflicts, saying the current generation must boldly tackle and resolve the conflicts to free future generations from such burdens.

In his speech on the occasion to mark the historic Unity Accord signed on December 22, 1987, by the revolutionary parties, ZANU and ZAPU — the President on Tuesday said efforts continue to be deployed to build on that precious legacy of peace and national unity.

"I have made it a personal mission to engage our citizens and our communities in the conflict zones of that unfortunate time of early Independence.

"We have to boldly confront and tackle the aftermath of that era, heal wounds it left in its wake, and where possible, assuage persistent difficulties and challenges traceable to it. This, I am resolved to do until we remove whatever bitter memories that may still exist, and are likely to linger," he said.

He added that peace  remains the foremost prize for which no price is too big to pay, no cause or ego too big to bend.

"We are the generation that must resolve issues of early Independence conflict, so we release our children to move forward and ahead as a united people. The key lesson from this preceding era of internal conflict should never be lost to us.

"Whatever differences and contradictions we face, or are likely to face in the future, these should always find resolution through peaceful dialogue in the interest of peace and national unity. Nothing beats sitting down as one people to iron out any differences that exist or might arise," he said.

The Head of State and Government said on countless occasions, he met and interacted with interest groups, community and traditional leaders from Matabeleland and parts of Midlands, all with a view to establishing what needs to be done so the after-effects of this regrettable era are put behind.

"Our traditional leaders, led by our chiefs, have a great role to play in this regard. They preside over communities affected by the conflict, those hurt by the conflict are their subjects. They know the hurts, hear all the cries from the era and have suggestions on what needs to be done," he said.

President Mnangagwa took a swipe at some rogue elements thriving on perpetuating past conflicts.

"As we give space to our traditional leaders to lead processes of reconciliation and repair, we should guard against those negative elements which aim to re-ignite frozen differences in order to throw us back into renewed conflict.

"As always there are sinister forces which seek to profit from a divided and divisive past. They must not succeed," he said.

The President said national institutions for conflict prevention, management and resolution have been put in place  to deal with any conflicts that may arise.

"We have introduced in our daily workings, mechanisms to prevent conflicts, however minor or localised.

"Above all, we continue to monitor and find answers to new, emerging situations of potential conflict so these are obviated before they occur. It is from such mechanisms, through such vigilance, that peace is forged and won, and that nations get durably built," he said.

President Mnangagwa said even though the signatories to the Unity Accord were two sister liberation movements, the threat and menace which that Accord cured and resolved was a national one.

"Equally, the benefits accruing from it remain national in character. Those two considerations alone, make the Unity Accord larger than the two signatories, catapulting it into the coveted status of a National Gain, Resource and Heritage.

"This, in effect, means the Unity Accord is our asset together as Zimbabweans. There should never be barriers of politics, colour, creed, language, region or tribe standing between us and its collective ownership," he said.

The President said the Unity Accord is a common possession, timeless guiding ethos that the nation stands by, or perishes for want of it.

Source - The Herald