Peace and Conflict in Zimbabwe – A Call for Peace Education (A contribution to the Constitution Making Process)

Abstract

Developments in peace studies and peace theory have resulted in two conceptualizations of peace, notably, ‘negative / cold’ peace and ‘positive / hot / stable’ peace, respectively. It can be surmised that situations and conditions in most countries internationally and Zimbabwe in particular, seem consistent with negative peace. In acknowledgement of the centrality of peace to governance and national development and in further acknowledgement and admission of the absence of sustainable peace in Zimbabwe, the government of Zimbabwe, through the ‘Ministry of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration’ is making some efforts at restoring peace in the country. In view of the preceding, this paper argues that current efforts by government at re-establishing peace in the country, as a response to the pre and post – election inter - party violence and conflicts of 2008 might regrettably yield ‘negative peace’. Accordingly, this paper, in confirming the government’s position regarding the role and state of peace in the country, is urging firstly, for the consideration of peace education anchored on hunhu and chivanhu, as a constitutional issue in the current historic constitution making exercise and secondly, its subsequent inclusion in the educational systems of the country thereafter.