As Zimbabwe has entered in its electoral cycle, dynamics at community level continue to change as political parties are going into communities campaigning instilling fear amongst community members who recall how elections in Zimbabwe are normally characterized with violence.
However, some communities that have undergone ECLF peace building program has vowed that as a community they will not resort to violence in settling their political differences but will tolerate each other and are calling upon Zimbabweans across the political divide to do the same.
Taurai Dembo of ward 6 in Matobo district has said that ECLF taught her and other community members to manage conflicts and to be people of peace that is why as a community they have been able to work together to carry out community cohesion initiatives despite their different political backgrounds.
“2018 elections are coming but as this ward we are not worried because we have been taught to tolerate each other and work together as one community. The elections will not divide us nor divert our attention from building a clinic which we all want to use in the near future” she added.
The ECLF has been conducting peacebuilding programs in parts of the country and the response by most community members shows that despite conflict being inevitable, all these communities want peace and they believe that with peace and reconciliation there is potential for development.