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ZIMBABWEANS in 16 parliamentary constituencies will on June 10 this year, go to polls to elect National Assembly members to replace 14 that were recalled by the MDC-T and two by Zanu-PF.It is against this backdrop that we challenge all Zimbabweans to ensure that these by-elections are held in the utmost peaceful, free and fair environment like we saw in the last harmonised elections.

As the campaigns hot up in the 16 constituencies, there are those who have opted to stand aside and watch who will want to create some self-fulfilling prophecies to justify their infantile decision to leave their supporters in limbo.

They should be shunned like a plague should they try to provoke the peaceful. To this end, we condemn all acts of politically motivated violence, or behaviours likely to breach peace and harm innocent Zimbabweans. Such indecorous behaviours by some undisciplined candidates and backers of some political parties, should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

Zimbabweans are wise and intelligent enough to pick such shenanigans and they will definitely punish such politicians by refusing to vote for them.

We call upon all politicians to tolerate their colleagues and respect the people’s democratic right to belong to political parties of their choice, to vote for or to be voted for into public office without being intimidated.

The real contest at an election is the battle for ideas — political parties selling agenda through their manifestos to Zimbabweans in general and their constituencies in particular.

We are sick and tired of politicians who think intimidating or causing bodily harm to their colleagues or the electorate is a ticket to get into public office.

The truth is, yes, people may die fighting for their country, but no politician is worth dying for and no politician has the right to sacrifice anyone’s life.

The actions and ideas of a politician should be in a position to sway the voters in their thousands to vote for them without threatening them. If anyone is caught, the law must take its course and proper punishment be meted on perpetrators.

The electorate must wake up and refuse to be used by greedy, corrupt and loud sounding nothing politicians who think violence can catapult them into positions of authority, yet they are brainless.

If you are the best, why intimidate the electorate? If one wants to be a servant of the people, why unleash violence to your masters?

Zanu-PF has already elected tried and tested politicians to represent it in the 16 seats and it is up to the electorate to vote wisely for candidates and parties with people at heart.

The MDC-T that has been for years the key driver of violence, is not taking part in the polls and we expect the environment to be peaceful as Zimbabweans exercise their democratic right. The electorate must vote wisely and those who think violence is the answer should be reminded that the key attribute separating man from other primates is the gift of speech.

Let’s battle on ideas not clubs and stones.