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Peace disturbed in Kuwadzana
Zimbabwe Civil Education Trust (ZIMCET)
January 20, 2003

The Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET) is concerned at the rate at which the peace of the people is being continually disturbed. Press reports in the past few days have been pointing to the stepping up of militia bases in Kuwadzana high-density suburb ahead of a by election.

The targeting of tuck shop owners who are also trying to make a living is not fair. The tuck shop owners are not the reason why the country is facing economic problems. It is worrying for authorities to allow terror that is deliberately designed to carry on unchecked. It is not enough for the government to continually deny the actions of the militia when their activities are causing a lot of suffering.

It is disheartening that Zimbabweans have to be subjected to violence all the time that they have to go through elections. ZIMCET calls on the authorities to disband the militia bases with immediate effect. Every citizen of this country has a freedom of choice as enshrined in the constitution, which right is withdrawn when people are subjected to violence with the intent of swaying their vote in a particular way.

ZIMCET regrets the first murder due to food shortages over the weekend. Unless urgent steps are taken to ensure that every Zimbabwean has access to food more of these murders for a loaf of bread will be witnessed. The murder has proved that Zimbabweans are not at peace as a result of the food shortages, that have reduced citizens to literally spending days on end in queues for different commodities from maize-meal, sugar, cooking oil, bread, fuel the list is endless.

ZIMCET therefore appeals to the authorities to create an enabling environment that will protect and respect human life and at the same time enhance peace in the entire country but more specifically in Kuwadzana and Highfield where there will be by elections.

In another development, ZIMCET applauds government for introducing two shifts for the employees of the passport office. It is our hope that such a move will help ease the problems that people have had to battle with trying to get travel documents. For a long time in order to bypass the long queues, some people lost thousands of dollars to bogus agents and many more had to pay touts who continually harassed and abused them in queues.

For further information contact:

Jestina M.Mukoko Public Relations Officer
198 Samora Machel West Belvedere
Box 1858
Harare

Tel:741552/741358
Fax:778094

Email:zimcetin@africaonline.co.zw

Visit the ZIMCET fact sheet

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