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The party said MDC-T realised it was not going to have things its way in the polls and wanted their outcome rubbished before they had even been held.

Zanu-PF Harare Province chairman Cde Amos Midzi told New Ziana that the revolutionary party was upbeat about the forthcoming polls and did not need to resort to violence for support, contrary to claims to that effect by MDC-T.

President Mugabe has said the country will most likely have general elections this year because he is reluctant to extend the inclusive Government’s lifespan by more than six months because of his partners’ insincerity.

The inclusive Government’s shelf life, according to the Global Political Agreement that created it, ends in February and President Mugabe has said he can consider extending it by no more than six months so as to give the constitution-making process and subsequent referendum a chance to be completed.

Cde Midzi said, “We are aware that MDC-T has been priming the international community and some quarters in the country with information aimed at discrediting results that will come out of either the referendum or forthcoming elections. They are claiming that Zanu-PF is provoking a violent situation but we know that MDC-T hooligans are going about provoking people. We know that they are responsible for the little pockets of violence taking place.”

Cde Midzi said Zanu-PF was also aware that MDC-T feared defeat in the elections and were employing “dirty tricks” to have them either postponed or discredited.

He said Zanu-PF was committed to guaranteeing peace and safety for all Zimbabweans regardless of political affiliation.

“President Robert Mugabe, our leader and the First Secretary of the party, has made it clear that we have to operate in an environment of peace, an environment conducive for co-existence not only at party level but at individual level as well.

Cde Midzi said the public had a right to go about unmolested by anybody. He called on Zanu-PF members to remain vigilant and not be provoked into violence. “I call upon all our membership to do whatever they can to ensure that there is peaceful co-existence for all the residents of Harare. I equally call upon leaders of all political parties to encourage and direct their membership to desist from engaging in acts that might cause violence.” — New Ziana-Herald Reporter.