Blessing Chebundo:

I wish to express my deep heartfelt appreciation, and Thank you to the People’s President, Advocate, Reverend Nelson Chamisa for assigning me to the position, and in-charge of the ‘ National Healing, Peace, Reconciliation, and Integration (NHPRI). In accepting this appointment, I am highly inspired by the Reverend President’s God fearing approach to issues. God Fearing leaders (Proverbs 1:7), and the President’s placing of God First, (Psalms 127:1), is what many a leader misses, hence they lack anointments and wisdom.

This appointment comes at a time when the heavily wounded nation needs robust healing, natural justice, and inclusive concerted national advocacy program for prevention of recurrences of the undesired state sponsored political and economic (corruption) atrocities, and many other violent conflicts experienced since the attainment of independence in 1980.

As a ministry, we are further motivated by the party’s (MDC) recognition of the importance of national peace and stability to sustainable development, as enunciated at the party’s 4th, and 5th congresses, and enshrined within the MDC SMART Document.

My ministry will work to fulfill the party’s commitments through facilitating and instituting a national Healing, Reconciliation, Integration and due Care programmes for the victims as a pre-requisite for nation building and sustainable democracy and development. The trauma and wounds of human rights violations committed in pre and post colonial Zimbabwe cannot be ignored. The dark periods left a traumatized, political fractured and sorrowful nation stricken with grief, depression, suspicion and pain, with many people living in fear. These various wounds inflicted were either not closed or improperly closed. And the best way to close old wounds is by confronting the PAST for a better FUTURE through revisiting and reopening of these badly closed wounds and clean out the old infection. This entails remembering and confronting the past terrors in order to forget everlastingly. We must remember what happened in order to keep it from happening again. It is only through remembering: allow open discussions: care: healing: compensating: and reconciling: that, as a nation we will be able to forget in order that the nation is able to go on with peace and trust…..

Once more, Thank you the People’s President!

Thank you Party of Excellence!

The game is on!

B. Chebundo
MDC National Secretary
NHPRI