EDITORIAL COMMENT: Violence must be banished in all its guises Mr Chamisa

A Zimbabwe Peace Project report for the month of June reveals interesting statistics in the country’s body politic.

Of the 19 intra-party violence cases that the organisation recorded, 16 occurred in the opposition MDC-T, while only three happened in the ruling Zanu-PF.

The violence was in connection with primary elections that the parties held ahead of the crucial July 30 elections.

It is useful to put a bit of perspective on this picture.

The statistics show the opposition was linked to 84 percent of the major recorded incidents of violence.

It is something that tells us how the opposition, for long perceived and trying to portray itself as innocent victims of violence, is in fact an outfit of violence, more so since the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February this year.

The succession in Tsvangirai’s party was nasty, violent and prudish.

This is how Mr Nelson Chamisa came to be the leader of the opposition as he violently crushed his rivals, the main challenger of whom was Dr Thokozani Khupe.

As soon as Ms Khupe was violently ejected, we saw violence rear its ugly head in Mr Chamisa’s camp with reports of gun-totting thugs threatening to shoot rivals in areas such as Kuwadzana in Harare.

For the first time, focus became trained on the violent militia group known as the Vanguard whose leader — one Shakespeare Mukoyi — became the face of violence in the MDC-T.

On the other hand, there has been general peace and tranquillity in the country. In particular, Zanu-PF led by President Mnangagwa is preaching peace and coexistence. President Mnangagwa will soon meet leaders of the opposition with the same gospel of peace.

There has never been a time in recent history when the contrast has been starker.

Yet the point that we wish to make is that violence in all its forms and guises must be banished from our land.

Violence begets violence.

It leads to the breakdown of relations that tie us far and beyond the superfluous divisions occasioned by political party affiliations and choices.

There is always the day after election and the season after the hot and ill-tempered passion of elections.

We will still need the neighbour and family, whose bonds violence severs.

Again, this violence could be internal to parties or directed outside.

It is still undesirable.

Apart from physical violence we notice a growing trend of verbal abuse on online and social media platforms as people do not engage civilly, but hurl crude insults at those they do not agree with.

Some people resort to using unprintable language in trying to drown and smother their rivals online.

Political figures and civilians have been victims of these growing violent torrents.

It is a worrying trend.

We also notice — and we put it without fear or favour — that supporters of the same Mr Chamisa have lately distinguished themselves online for abusing rivals.

They abuse Mr Chamisa’s rivals in the opposition — those that have chosen to part ways like Dr Khupe; those that have stood alone, like independents; and the traditional rivals across town, in Zanu-PF. It is just deplorable.

Yet no political party in Zimbabwe can claim innocence.

They all share this collective shame which, to all intents and purposes, shames us all.

Zimbabwe needs to reject the idea that violence is in the DNA of its politics.

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