Leaders sign peace pact in Balaka
As the May 20 elections draw closer, religious, political party and traditional leaders in Balaka have signed a peace agreement to ensure free and fair polls.
The peace accord, championed by the faith-based organisation Centre for Social Concern (CfSC), is an individual party commitment of the three players involved in the signing to make sure that all of them take part in ensuring peaceful tripartite polls.
Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, CfSC’s programmes manager, Tobias Jere, said the peace accord sets a bar for the leaders to implement their part in the peaceful process before, during and after the elections.
“CfSC has been keen to ensure that peace prevails among different backgrounds by, among other things, implementing the ‘Inter Religious Dialogue’ also known as Religion as Transformation programme. It is important to have a documented peace agreement from these leaders so that each of them has a reference of what they promised,” said Jere.
Jere said local leaders have a huge influence on people, as such they need to be incorporated in various endeavours that seek the population’s positive reaction in electoral matters.
“The CfSC produced and launched a code of conduct during the 2009 general elections in Mangochi. The exercise helped reduce the political and religious violence that loomed in the district at that time,” he said.
A representative from the district commissioner’s office, Lehabiam Mphunda, said his office was grateful for the various peace avenues electoral stakeholders are initiating in Balaka to have peaceful tripartite polls.
