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THE increasing cases of violence being perpetrated on dissenting party members at Harvest House, the MDC-T’s national headquarters, gives us an insight into the nature of political engagement the MDC-T — that loves playing zanu-pf victim — brought into our body politic.Over the years several senior MDC-T leaders among them Professor Welshman Ncube, Ms Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Peter Guhu, Trudy Stevenson, Fortune Gwaze and Toendepi Shonhe, have all been beaten at Harvest House for airing opinion contrary to the dictates of party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Several members of the public have also fallen victim to the drunk goons who always hang around the MDC-T headquarters, we thus call on police to round up such elements lest innocent people are killed or maimed as they go about their business.

Zimbabwe is a highly literate nation which makes the unleashing of violence on political opponents because they do not share the same ideology as yours or because they have shown interest in contesting your position, barbaric. We have to find happy ways of differing.

The beating of MDC-T national deputy treasurer, Mr Elton Mangoma, secretary general Mr Tendai Biti and youth assembly secretary general Promise Mkwananzi, at Harvest House on Saturday by party youths aligned to Mr Tsvangirai, should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

Other party members like the Madzore brothers Paul and Solomon had to run for dear life, an advantage Mr Mangoma did not have given his physical handicap.

The heinous act, where Mr Mangoma was left with a bloody nose, shredded shirt and broken spectacles, was witnessed by party leader, Mr Tsvangirai, who according to reports set the youths on Mr Mangoma and Mr Biti when he said “catch”.

Tsvangirai should be reminded that Zimbabwe is not a “banana republic” and his goons should abide by national laws as the full wrath of the law will take its course on people bent on violating other people’s rights.

The two MDC-T officials should report the case so that the perpetrators are brought to book. Mr Biti is a lawyer and is aware that in this case the State is the complainant and they are just witnesses.

Otherwise the Saturday event serves to confirm what zanu-pf has been saying all along that the MDC-T is a violent outfit. If the youths could batter Mr Mangoma, Mr Biti and Mr Mkwananzi in the presence of Mr Tsvangirai, what more the rival party supporter?

Like any other political institution, zanu-pf has its own challenges but there is not even a single case where party officials were assaulted at zanu-pf headquarters in the presence of the First Secretary and President Cde Mugabe. This is testimony that the revolutionary party has well disciplined cadres who follow laid down party structures and allow due process to take place if they have grievances against members.

If the MDC-T wants to pursue this culture of violence against peace loving Zimbabweans, then it has no place in our politics. Zimbabweans are highly literate and want contestation at the level of ideas not knobkerries.

The elections are a done deal and Zimbabweans, regardless of their political affiliation, should turn swords into ploughshares. We need solutions to the country’s economic challenges to come from all Zimbabweans including the MDC-T officials.

We propose that the energy that is being expended attacking other party officials should be redirected towards turning around the country’s ailing economy.

The focus of all Zimbabweans should be on Zim-Asset. The agriculture sector, national infrastructure such as roads, industry, social services utilities among other key matters, suffered from the devastating effects of the illegal economic sanctions imposed at the behest of the MDC.

We call upon all peace loving Zimbabweans to condemn the action by the MDC-T youths to send a clear message to Mr Tsvangirai that Zimbabweans do not condone violence.