MUTARE- The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Mutare has
launched a project titled Citizen Participation and Accountability for Social
Cohesion in Mutasa district which aims at empowering marginalised groups to
address justice and peace issues through constructive building approaches.
The coordinator for CCJP in Mutare which is an arm of the Roman Catholic
Church Eliot Vengesa said they were working with Christian Aid Zimbabwe to
develop communities in a peaceful and transparent manner by coordinating
meetings to unite people and discuss issues that affect them.
“The project is basically targeting women, youth and people with disability and on
the other hand is also targeting the duty bearers who include councilors, the
traditional leadership. So the whole idea is to encourage communities and the
leadership to come together and work for the greater good of the community.
“We hope to see wards develop and see people uniting for a common cause. Let
me underscore the need for peace, without peace there is no room for
development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mutasa district villagers applauded the initiative optimistic of the fact
that such engagements would benefit the general populace as the country is
currently in election season.
“This programme has come in at an opportune time in which it is capacitating the
community to deal with social ills such as drug and substance abuse as well as
violence. This is a step in the right direction in promoting peace and development
for rural communities,” said Bertha Taruvinga.
The project which is being piloted in wards 11, 19 and 3 of Mutasa district and
wards 16,19, 24 and 29 of Mutare rural district is targeting mostly women, youths
and persons with disabilities as well as duty bearers.

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe is a non-
governmental organisation which assists in cases of human rights abuses