MDC-T must promote peace, not fan violence

perceived enemies. 
People who have been following the MDC-T closely in the last decade will not be amazed to hear its leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai threatening to boycott the elections over what he says is continued military involvement in electoral issues.
This is not the first time that the MDC-T leader has threatened to boycott or boycotted elections in Zimbabwe. The MDC-T was making a lot of noise when it was not clear when the country was going to conduct the harmonised polls.
Now that President Mugabe has successfully convinced the courts for the need to have the by-elections in three contested Matabeleland seats held during the harmonised elections whose dates shall be known by March 31 next year, some new demands are now emerging from the MDC-T.
Addressing a handful of his supporters attending a memorial service of the MDC-T supporters at Rutenga Stadium in Zaka on Saturday, Mr Tsvangirai also slammed the police and accused them of being partisan.
However, it is shocking to hear elections boycott threats and pulling out of the inclusive Government roughly five months ahead of polls.
Nothing will stop the country to suggest that this is grandstanding by MDC-T ahead of the elections, obviously meant to attract the attention of its Western financiers for them to condemn the polls. Why was the MDC-T not raising violence allegations for the past four years when its ministers were enjoying the comfort of being in the inclusive Government?
Now chances are high that some of its members, if not the whole party, might be booted out of Government after the March elections, we start hearing reports of violence being perpetrated on its members. The MDC-T needs to be warned that boycotting is no longer fashionable among Zimbabweans . . . the people now want real politics where bread and butter issues are articulated. Zimbabweans are waiting to hear from the MDC-T what it is promising to give the people if it ever assumes power. Zanu-PF is clear on its policies, consolidation of the land reform programme, improving productivity on farms, assist locals claim a stake in foreign owned companies and communal areas empowerment among others.
The MDC-T election campaign launches have been postponed on several occasions for unexplained reasons. If Mr Tsvangirai was serious and willing to solve the plight of his supporters, why did it take him four years to do that?
Is he trying to whip up the people’s emotions ahead of the elections, promote violence and have the country’s elections condemned by the West — his party’s financiers?
While Mr Tsvangirai raises the issue of violence perpetrated on his supporters by alleged Zanu-PF supporters, he is forgetting that 29 of his supporters are in remand prison facing charges of killing Police inspector — Petros Mutedza — last year when he was carrying out his constitutional mandate. It is also regrettable that Mr Tsvangirai’s violence claims are not backed by any facts. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba on Sunday made it clear that police do not selectively apply the law and their operations do not target supporters of any political party.
Police have been arresting people who fan violence regardless of their political affiliation. In May this year Mashonaland East police arrested six Zanu-PF supporters for reportedly attacking some MDC-T supporters in Mudzi and one person, Cephas Magura, died in the process.
If some Zanu-PF supporters are arrested and taken to court for violence, why should the MDC-T members be spared for committing similar offences?
We urge the MDC-T leader and leaders of other political parties to value the peace and stability we enjoy in the country and use every opportunity to preach peace instead of stoking violence through inflammatory and populist language. Let us not underestimate the power of the tongue, especially a loose one.