Government marks International Day of Peace amidst rubble and destruction in Kambuzuma

By Violet Gonda
21 September 2005

It’s reported that the United Nations Information Centre organised the celebration of the International Day of Peace in Kambuzuma, Harare on Wednesday. Ironically this day of peace was marked amidst the rubble that was left after the government destroyed houses and businesses in the area. The event was officiated by ZANU PF chairman John Nkomo, in his capacity as Speaker of Parliament, but the government did not invite the local Harare Members of Parliament, who all belong to the MDC. Even the MDC MP for Kambuzuma itself, Willias Madzimure, was not invited.

Trudy Stevenson the MDC Parliamentary Spokesperson for Local Government and Housing said it is hypocritical to be celebrating the International Day of Peace in one of the townships that was severely affected by Operation Murambatsvina. Communities were destroyed and a lot of people were left homeless without their livelihood.

According to Trudy, the government has done virtually nothing to assist these families. She said: “ it’s just so hypocritical to be going there and saying we are celebrating peace, when the regime was just there 2 to 3 months ago with bulldozers and guns destroying everything violently, which is the opposite of peace.”

Stevenson also said: ” unfortunately, the United Nations has been a complicit partner and the MDC will be taking this matter further with the UN. The UN in my view is really not doing enough to promote the value of the Universal Declaration of human rights.”