National Convergence Platform

The National Convergence Platform (NCP) is a body created by the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHCD), civic society organisations, professional bodies and business to co-ordinate non-political actors deliberations on ways to solve the socio-economic and political crises in Zimbabwe. The body was launched on 13 December 2019 and is spearheaded by the ZHCD.

The spokesperson of the national convergence platform Reverend, Dr Kenneth Mtata.

NCP was one of the dialogue platforms create to solve the Zimbabwe situation following the disputed result of the 2018 elections. The other prominent platform being POLAD.

The 2019 launch of NCP was the second attempt at such a platform. A similar effort was made in 2015 and was then led by retired Anglican Bishop Sebastian Bakare.^[1] Bakare however abandoned the project over frustrations that it had been hijacked by politicians yet it was supposed to be a non-partisan platform.^[2]

Launch

At the launch on 13 December, a Memorandum of Association was signed by some representative apex bodies:

ZHOCD
Citizen Manifesto
National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handcapped
National Transitional Justice Working Group
Platform for Concerned Citizens
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

The NCP said in a statement at launch:

Following the issuing of compelling Sabbath call by the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations, on October 7, 2019, which sought to invite the whole nation towards finding a lasting comprehensive solution to the many crises affecting the nation, leaders of various apex bodies of civil society organisations came together to establish the National Convergence Platform as a space for deliberating and exploring ways to collectively contribute towards finding a lasting solution to the national crisis through national dialogue.
This deterioration was most evident in the failing health and other social services, the looming catastrophic food shortages, the broken mistrust and confidence among citizens, the continuing breakdown of social cohesion, deepening political paralysis and polarisation seen by the failure of the main political parties in Parliament to co-operate for the sake of the nation. They were also worried that there seemed to be no solution being proffered towards a credible solution both in the immediate and even long-term future.