Innocent Muraiwa
Masvingo-The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) showed its undying spirit in upholding everlasting peace and solidarity through joining the September 21, 2022 International Day of Peace Commemoration as a way reinforcing unity and prune down violent acts by the members of the Zimbabwean society so that people live peacefully.
EFZ Reverend Nyasha Rich identified different types of conflicts as well as best ways in which they can be solved.
“Conflicts are an enemy of unity and peace and there are types of conflicts which are intra-conflicts, inter-personal conflicts, intra-group conflicts, inter-group conflicts, all these conflicts exist in our today’s societies.
Just to take a mile of explanation, intra-conflict is a conflict within a human being whereas inter-personal conflict exists between two people with different opinions, same applies to inter-group conflict which is characterized with some conflicts within two groups and also intra-group conflict exists when there is a fight within a group.
“Within all the conflicts that might emerge in different societies of the world, as a Reverend under the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, I urge every member of society to be able to manage conflicts and refrain from triggering commotions which may lead to antagonism,” said Rich.
Speaking at the same event, the EFZ Bishop Philip Mahove also put across the notion of effective communication strategies and advocacy in a way to build up long standing peace and unity.
“People should be well conversant with their communication strategies so that they will be able to manage some conflicts that might arise for instance, in churches or certain organizations, when a leader fail to handle a duty, one may invite them to a private place and have some advice than to sharply rebuke them within the public which is a very provocative strategy that begets violence,” he said.
Mahove further illustrated some key effective communication strategies like listening carefully to what the next speaker is saying to avoid being led by emotions and said though conflicts are inevitable, people should bear in mind that communication solves everything.
The EFZ is a body under the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations which includes other three churches, Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Union for the Development of the Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa.
