Working Title; An Evaluation on the effectiveness of the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration as a peacebuilding mechanism in Zimbabwe. 1. Introduction April 18 1980 marked the Independence day of Zimbabwe from the white led Ian Smith Rhodesian administration, on the speech marking the independence ceremony the incoming incumbent who was the then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Robert Gabriel Mugabe emphasized on the need for reconciliation between the black majority and the white minority. The spirit of forgiveness and healing was to be sustained if swords were turned into plough sheds as the words of Robert Mugabe echoed, however the events that would take place after the Independence were unforeseen as a wave of political, ethnical and structural violence became to take place. Zimbabwe then embarked on peacebuilding efforts first and foremost by integrating military forces of ZANLA, ZIPRA and former Rhodesian forces into one national army. Seven years after independence a wave of violence swept across Matebeleland as a response to bands of dissidents that had loomed in the region, this was known as the Gukurahundi which left many people dead and maimed, this led to the formation of the unity accord after the civil unrest, the unity accord was signed between the two major parties of that time namely Zimbabwe African National Union, Patriotic Front (ZANU) PF and Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) PF this union was meant to unite the two warring parties as the dissidents were believed to be linked to the ZAPU party. However this marked the birth on political violence in Zimbabwe, and in 1999 Zimbabwe saw the emergence of a new political party sprouting out of the labour union, this political party known as the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) became a very powerful opponent of the ruling party, this brought about many events that were to follow and change the political atmosphere. The ruling party ZANU PF and MDC became strong rivals and in 2009 after many people fell 1