Profile - Thabani Nyoni
“Violence is a painful experience that has caused me to join my suffering with the suffering of others all over the world in order to reduce the impacts of conflict and bring about human dignity, survival and material growth...”
Mr. Thabani Nyoni is a human rights activist with a keen interest in peace and conflict resolution. He is currently the Executive Director of Bulawayo Agenda. Mr. Nyoni has vast experience in Civic Society work, having worked for Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) in 2009 as its first Coordinator specializing in civic engagement and participation in politics and public policy to promote an open and democratic governance system. In 2008 Mr. Nyoni also initiated the concept of partnership for transformation, bringing together residents, local government, and other community based organizations through the ‘Township Cleanup Campaign’ which was meant to introduce a culture of stakeholder participation in local governance and social service delivery. Thabani also facilitated the formation of the Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association in 2008.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition’s Spokesperson is a holder of a B.A Honors and a Masters Degree in Development Studies from Midlands State University and has been teaching Management of Development Institutions and Programs on a part time basis at Masters level at the National University of Science and Technology. The Spokesperson was a recipient of the prestigious US Fulbright sponsored Hubert Humphrey Fellowship, which he was tenable at the University of Minnesota in the United States of America in 2009. Mr. Nyoni has also been involved in developing the Africa Diaspora Engagement Strategy (ADEAS) with Ashoka International Foundation in Washington DC and in community organizing with Organizing Apprenticeship Project (OAP) in Minnesota.
Since his days in high School, the Coalition’s Spokesperson has used the power of the pen to express his thoughts and views on the Zimbabwean question. Mr Nyoni has contributed to key political debates through his blog; http//thabamatshelelaforzim1511.blogspot.com/?spref=fb.
The new Spokesperson of The Coalition has proved to be an active listener and learning individual, who always takes his time to pay attention before he speaks. A trait, which will certainly be invaluable to the Coalition, its members and Zimbabwean society at large as it, show that he is not rash, and thinks before he speaks or acts. He believes that,
‘the fundamental factor in the movement of history, is that, Consciousness, Human Awareness, Thought, and Spirituality are the deep sources of freedom and power within which people have been able to move boulders and create change.’
In spite of his exposure to the developed world, the Coalitions Spokesperson maintains that he is a pan-Africanist preferring to listen to Lovemore Majaivana, Lucky Dube and other African artists as opposed to Western Artists, opting for Sadza and tripe instead of burger and chips. This preference for what is African, is also reflected in his political views, which are predicated on the idea that Africa is great, richly endowed with wealth, and that as a people, Africans have the ability to pull themselves out of the holes of oppression, poverty and corruption which poor governance and dictatorships have sunk us into.
Mr Nyoni is married and has two children.
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