TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN ZIMBABWE
The Zimbabwe Peace Project acknowledges the efforts in the National Dialogue Conference convened by the
Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations in December which underscored the centrality of inclusive, continuous
national dialogue as a pathway to unity, reconciliation, and development. Building on the long-standing vision of “The
Zimbabwe We Want,” the conference brought together state institutions, independent commissions, faith-based
actors, and international partners to reflect on past challenges and renew collective commitment to dialogue-driven
solutions. Discussions acknowledged that political polarisation and social divisions remain major obstacles to peace,
while affirming that respect for human rights, equality, and non-discrimination is foundational to national cohesion.
This is consistent with the findings of ZPP from its human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting across the
country. The emphasis on dialogue must be ongoing based on citizenry, and grounded in accountability, justice, and
mutual respect. The conference further recognised collaborative efforts to strengthen governance, combat corruption,
promote gender equality, and improve conditions within correctional facilities through engagement between national
institutions and international partners. The endorsement and handover of the new dialogue framework to Office of the
President
and
Cabinet
(OPC),
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Commission
(ZHRC),
and
other
key
stakeholders.symbolised shared responsibility among all stakeholders to translate dialogue into action and advance
sustainable peace in Zimbabwe.
10 STEPS BACKWARDS
As Zimbabwe faces a deepening food insecurity crisis, the continued politicisation of food aid and government
agricultural inputs constitutes a serious violation of fundamental human rights with far-reaching humanitarian
consequences. The right to food, equality, human dignity, and non-discrimination is increasingly undermined as access
to life-sustaining assistance is conditioned on political compliance or forced contributions. ZPP documented 23
violations related to unfair food aid distribution, with some of the most severe cases involving the exclusion of
vulnerable households for failing to meet coercive grain contribution demands, effectively criminalising poverty and
exposing families to hunger and deprivation. This politicisation not only denies immediate access to food but also
infringes on other interconnected rights, including the rights to health, livelihood, personal security, and freedom from
political coercion. According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, Zimbabwe is projected to experience
worsening food insecurity, with poor households in Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo, Manicaland, Midlands,
and northern Mashonaland expected to face critical food shortages during the peak lean season from December to
March. In this context, discriminatory aid practices risk accelerating humanitarian suffering and entrenching structural
vulnerability.
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