A GROUP of civil society organisations coalescing under the banner, Citizens Manifesto will hold the 3rd virtual National Citizens Convention (NCC) from 4 November to 6 next month in line with the Covid-19 regulations.
Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre Monday, one of the coordinators of the event, Mvuselelo Huni said the hybrid online and onsite event will interrogate key questions around Zimbabwe’s current political and economic problems as well as the new abnormalities brought about by the Covid-19 public health crisis.
“The key aim of the convention is to create an inclusive environment for citizens to participate in the national discourse, defining and building solidarity towards this year theme, ‘NoneButOurselves: Re-imagining The Future We Want Post-COVID 19’,” said Huni, who is also ORAP Chief Executive Officer.
Huni said the organisers of the event anticipate the convention will bring in a slew of participatory and appreciative processes which can help heal the nation.
“Zimbabwe is a multiply wounded nation, with a lingering legacy of trauma, division and polarisation that has caused many of us to lead out of wildness in our communities, in our institutions and most notably in our political space.
“The deepening polarisation and fragmentation has frayed our social fabric and numbered our sense of solidarity in facing the collective challenges we face as a nation.
“By reconnecting to each other and to the soul of Zimbabwe, we believe that a more dignified and reciprocal social contract based on broad based inclusion becomes possible,” he said.
Over 20 affiliate organisations and community collectives are co-creating this year’s event, with technical committees anchoring different aspects of the convention.
Citizens Manifesto hosted the inaugural National Citizens on 20 July 2018.
The first edition was attended by late former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and was attended by over 2,000 citizens.
