Elizabeth Tsvangirai urges women to preach peace at home. (Photo:M.Chibaya)
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai Saturday urged thousands of people that thronged Chinhoyi stadium to champion peace and put their faith in God not in earthly powers.
Speaking at a peace-building event organised by the Zimbabwe Pastors Fellowship, Tsvangirai urged Zimbabweans to uphold peace.
“You must not put your faith in the army or people but put your faith in the power of our Lord Jesus.”
The premier added: “I strongly support the words of peace: ‘peace begins with me, peace begins with you peace begins with all of us.’ Even if we come from different political parties, the fundamental issue is that the children of Zimbabwe should not beat each other…As Zimbabweans, we are drawing a line that never again should Zimbabweans fight each other.”
Tsvangirai ended his peace message by reading Psalm 33 verse 12, 16 to 17.
After President Robert Mugabe lost the March 2008 election, Zimbabwe experienced a political melt-down followed by a bloody presidential run-off election that left more than 200 Tsvangirai supporters dead.
Also present at the event was Zanu PF aspiring MP Phillip Chiyangwa who urged the premier to create jobs and provide food for peace to prevail.
“On the issue of peace, if every individual is well fed, there is no complaint and if everyone get a job there is no complaint so let us create jobs,” said Chiyangwa.
MDC-T National Organising Secretary, Nelson Chamisa, who opened his speech by singing a gospel song by Mathias Mhere called “Favour”, said God has great plans for the nation of Zimbabwe.
Catch them young :Young people singing to the Lord at a peace meeting in Chinhoyi. (Photo: author)
“When you see my brother Chiyangwa sitting together with me in peace and harmony not beating each other, it means God is doing great things in Zimbabwe. Blessed are the people who preach peace. If there is peace in the country, jobs will be there if there is peace in the country even clinics will have medicines,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa also read the scriptures Isaiah 43 verse 19 and Joel 2 verses 26 to 27.
The Prime Minister’s wife, Elizabeth Tsvangirai, urged people to keep on preaching peace at their homes.
“Women, in our homes let us caution children not to fight,” Elizabeth Tsvangirai said.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai warned generals and other security forces for failing to advance peace messages despite consistent peace calls by President Mugabe on various occasions.
According to an international watchdog Global Peace Index (GPI) realised last year, Zimbabwe remains among the world’s bottom worst peaceful, taking the 140th position, while Mozambique, a country it helped attain peace, is among the highest.