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Sports games: Citizen participation, political tolerance and peace
building
Zimbabwe
Election Support Network
October 25, 2012
On the 20th
October 2012 ZESN team organised and successfully conducted A PEACE
BUILDING SPORTS GAMES for four political parties in Nkayi. Of the
four political parties invited MDC, MDC-T and ZANU PF participated.
ZAPU was not able to participate as it failed to mobilise a team.
Each political party was expected to have at least one team, either
netball or football.
Highlights of the sports activity
The activity started with a prayer. The objectives of the games
were mainly to engage political parties in promoting a peaceful
voting process and to inculcate the spirit of political tolerance
and peace building through social games.
A brief but comprehensive presentation on citizen participation,
political tolerance and peace building was made by a ZESN taskforce
member from Matabeleland North. The presentation encouraged the
participants to peaceful when engaging with each other, to recognize
the significance of individuals as Zimbabweans and "Nkayians".
To realise that elections are a competition just like sports and
if political parties can manage to play peacefully in games, the
same should be translated into elections where supporters see each
other as contestants and not rivals.
Peace and a spirit of competition was noted throughout the games.
Each part provided an official for the games. Football was controlled
by ZANU PF with two line man from the two MDC formations. Netball
was controlled by MDC T with help from a neutral official.
JOMIC officials who were expected to make a closing key note address
in encouraging a spirit of oneness failed to come and one member
from each political party participating were chosen to give very
brief speeches. Their speeches were worth noting as they encouraged
peace building and promised cascade the message to other wards.
Visit the ZESN
fact sheet
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