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Mugabe dedicates 3 days to national healing, reconciliation

Mugabe dedicates 3 days to national healing, reconciliation
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Friday, July 24, 2009 3:17:45 PM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has declared today, tomorrow and Sunday as days of peace, national healing, reconciliation and integration. The three days will not be public holidays, but will be observed by Zimbabweans as days of peace and reconciliation.

"In the spirit of the Interparty Political Agreement, I do hereby declare, set out and dedicate the 24th, 25th and 26th July, 2009, as a period during which the nation may dedicate the Inclusive government, our newfound peace, our freedom, our new spirit of nation-building, National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration to inspire the nation going forward," President Mugabe declared in the Government Gazette Extraordinary dated July 15, 2009.

"(I) declare, set out and dedicate the 24th, 25th and 26th July 2009, as the appointed days upon which, consistent with the deeply-felt desire for freedom, peace, stability and prosperity by the millions of Zimbabweans at home and abroad, all the political parties, formations and factions within and without Zimbabwe, and espousing a Zimbabwean interest howsoever defined, publicly and honestly commit themselves, as indeed it is their constitutional and legal duty."

The President stated that the declaration was consistent with Article VII and Article XVIII of the Interparty Political Agreement, which promoted equality of treatment of all regardless of gender, race or ethnicity.

The Articles also require the inclusive government to put in place practicable measures to achieve national healing, cohesion and unity in respect of victims of pre- and post-Independence political conflicts; to create an environment of tolerance and respect among Zimbabweans from the Diaspora; as well as to assure personal security of all persons and prevent the resort to violence for purposes of settling any disagreements.

President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Professor Arthur Mutambara will lead Zimbabweans in observing peace and unity at a function to be held in Harare today.

Labels: MUGABE, NATIONAL HEALING AND RECONCILIATION DAYS

posted by MrK @ 2:18 PM