By Sydney Barson| The President’s inaugural statement “let bygones be bygones” was a reference to those who were G40 supporters so that the public do not start taking revenge, It did not refer to opening the violence of the past for truth and reconciliation, State Provincial Affairs Minister for Manicaland Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

Addressing the Churches in Manicaland (CiM) clergy and lay leaders on Wednesday in Mutare, Mutsvangwa said diversity is an asset and she wants a healthy opposition to keep the ruling party on their toes.

The Churches had raised a plethora of issues for the minister to address.

She said she will take off her Zanu PF hat when there are more important issues at stake. She has already been working with other parties in Parliament and wants to do it in Manicaland.

“Healing is an important national priority and Manicaland should be one of the first areas for the NPRC to operate in at provincial level because there are a lot of broken hearts.” Mutsvangwa said.

She said she was willing to go through the process of truth and reconciliation herself.

“The President’s directive is that people must be persuaded by the parties, not forced. Everyone using election-related or other forms of violence must be brought to book immediately.

The Churches implored government to rein in the police and proposed people centred re-training of the police.

“Police need training not only from government which is committed to a professional force that respects the public, but also from members of the republic who refuse to allow the police to get away with corruption and abuse.” She added.

Referring to a question on Zimbabwean diasporans she said government must respect their umbilical cord with home.

She has moved a motion in Parliament that there be a Diaspora Policy to encourage integration of the diaspora into the nation building discussions and efforts and promised to facilitate this in government.

A CiM member Rev Shirley DeWolf said corruption was a cancer which has slowly but surely embedded itself in the once jewel of Africa and is a cause for concern from the Church.

Responding to the issue of corruption Mutsvangwa said: “With something so deeply embedded in all parts of national life naming and shaming is the only way to root out corruption.”

Her main focus now is on getting the economy up and running so that it will have quick returns for those most disadvantaged.

Said Mutsvangwa, “There is now lots of investor goodwill, but investors are waiting to see how we will manage things. Banking issues are among my first priorities.”

She said she has been working for a long time on a strategy to resuscitate the formal sector of business while not pulling the rug out from under the vendors and their dependents.

Meanwhile she has met with vendors in Mutare and the City Council to put in place measures requested by vendors.

Mutare City fathers with the aid of the military arm have been at the helm of criticism from the public for destroying their livelihoods by effecting a murambatsvina Part 2.

The Churches also asked the minister to investigate and strategize how to close down the lethargy and greed around the Chiadzwa diamonds industry and under put it under international standards.

To date Manicaland has nothing to point at after the Chiadzwa diamond rush and the $15million loot.

One key result area of the interface was that the Church should not underestimate its impact on political processes and must continue to give guidance.

Mutsvangwa asserted that the Church and government must pledge never again to allow a person of political ambition to use the Church as a platform for furthering a political agenda.

She hopes the church will give her constant feedback from the community about their needs and expectations, as people talk differently to their Churches than to politicians.