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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Maphisa
Peace concert
Bulawayo Agenda
June 26, 2013
Over 500 Maphisa
residents, traditional leaders, JOMIC representatives, representatives
of political parties (MDC-T, MDC and ZAPU) participated in the Peace
Concert held in Maphisa growth point last Friday (21/06/2013). The
meeting, organised by Matobo Agenda, a Chapter of Bulawayo Agenda,
to promote peace and tolerance within the community ahead of the
general elections. Edutainment groups, KAISA, Gwanda Development
Arts (GDA) Jahunda Community Arts and a local poet encouraged participants
on the need to register
to vote and voting peacefully during the elections.
Below are some
of the highlights from the meeting;
- Peace messages:
Political party representatives urged participants to desist from
violence and tolerate each other’s political views and affiliation
as violence is destructive and retrogressive.
- The political
parties urged youths to avoid being used during the elections
as “tools” for violence but register to exercise their
right peacefully during elections.
- JOMIC encouraged
citizens to come forward and report any cases of violence, intimidation,
harassment threats or other security threats they are faced with
so that such issues are publicized and addressed.
- Edutainment:
3 (three) arts groups, Jahunda Arts, GDA and Kaissa staged a play
on how to register to vote especially targeting the disabled persons,
song and dance respectively, encouraging villagers to register
as voters and participate peacefully.
- Mobile Voter
registration: It was noted some participants were not aware of
the registration process, evidence that the process was poorly
publicized and this will have a negative bearing on citizen participation
in the coming elections.
- Sideline
interviews with some participants showed that youths were ignorant
and disinterested in registering to vote.
- Electoral
monitoring and citizen reporting: Participants were urged to take
advantage of various publicity platforms created by Bulawayo Agenda
to monitor and report violence, harassments, threats, intimidation
and other cases that hinder peaceful and free participation of
citizens on electoral processes.
Participants
called for more information dissemination from civil society especially
on the electoral processes for citizens to be aware of political
and electoral developments and participate in these on informed
basis.
Visit the Bulawayo
Agenda fact sheet
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