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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

Chief Justice Luke Malaba has called on political parties to campaign peacefully within the confines of the law ahead of the harmonised elections later this year.

Opening the new legal year on Monday, he said it was incumbent on political parties to ensure that the polls are conducted in a free and fair manner.

“The nation is due to hold harmonised elections later this year. The Constitution makes it very clear that every citizen is entitled to peaceful, free and fair elections. The obligation is therefore on all the political parties, the candidates and their agents to ensure that the conditions conducive for the holding of peaceful, free and fair harmonised elections are created and maintained.

“As the Judiciary, we expect the rule of law to prevail especially in the coming months when political parties start their campaigns. This is the only way that will ensure that elections are free, fair and credible,” Chief Justice Malaba said.

President Mnangagwa is expected to set the election date sometime between August 26 and 28 in line with Constitutional provisions.

In his address while delivering the State of the Nation Address and officially opening the Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa called for peace as the country prepares for general elections.

“Political players seeking the people’s mandate during the upcoming 2023 harmonised general elections must maintain and consolidate the current peace, unity, harmony, and love that we have built,” he said.

The large block of by-elections in March last year went off with hardly a hitch, the two tiny outbreaks of violence, largely by a single person in each case, were quickly dealt with.

Presently, there is an issue of alleged political violence in Murehwa and a video is circulating on social media, in which some elderly people were being beaten.

Police has since arrested three people in connection with the violence.