Nothing can ever justify violence

ZIMBABWE travelled a very arduous path to attain independence.

It was a tortuous journey that was full of blood, sweat and tears.

Those who lived through this trying period know better the harrowing pain that comes with conflict.

The generation that was traumatised and experienced the war do not want to be reminded about it as it is a painful chapter they would rather forget.

Peace is fragile — it is very easy to undo but extraordinarily difficult to recover.

We have seen this in Libya, where NATO-sponsored disturbances, which culminated in the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, continue to this day, 14 years after his death.

The peace and prosperity that was once cherished in this oil-rich North African country is now just but a distant memory.

Recently, we also saw it through the insurgency in Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, where it affected investments in gas that could by now have materially changed the country’s economy.

War, conflict or any other kind of instability is antithetical to development and progress.

This is the point that President Mnangagwa, himself a veteran of the liberation struggle and one of its major protagonists, continues to preach ad infinitum and at every fora.

“ZANU PF is a colossal revolutionary party, we have a job to do and a vision to deliver for the good of the people of our great motherland, Zimbabwe.

”I applaud all my fellow citizens from across the country for their clarity, national consciousness and patriotism that continue to squash efforts by malcontents and rogue delusional elements bent on disturbing our peace, unity and harmony,” the President instructively said at the ruling party’s 382nd Ordinary Session of the Politburo at the party’s headquarters in Harare last week.

“Our motherland, Zimbabwe, will forever be a constitutional democratic and sovereign nation, with all of us living in unity, peace and harmony. Vanoukura, vanoramba vachiukura, nyika ichienda mberi. (Those who bark will continue doing so while the country moves forward).”

The President could not have been any clearer.

Indeed, Zimbabwe is a democratic and sovereign nation.

Quite worryingly, however, of late there has been a clique of putschists that has been actively seeking to foment disturbances through unrelenting and unstrained attacks on the national leadership, including President Mnangagwa.

And, not surprisingly, this group has been using social media as a platform through which to broadcast and propagate its incendiary rhetoric.

While some members of the group purported to be members of the ruling party, before their recent expulsion, they deliberately chose not to litigate their issues, if at all they have any, through clearly laid-down procedures, as prescribed by the party’s constitution.

They curiously chose to discuss their issues on social media.

And calling for demonstrations with the express aim to topple a constitutionally elected Government is nothing short of treasonous.

It also falls outside the provisions of the supreme law.

So, those who have chosen this path should be prepared to face the consequences.

But why would someone call for demonstrations when the country has been performing relatively better than at any other time in recent history?

Zimbabweans, who are quintessentially hard workers that are presently preoccupied with improving their lives, have no appetite for demonstrations.

However, experience has taught us of the potential damaging impact of mischief makers.

In 2019, the Government had to set up a $20 million fund to assist business operators whose properties were damaged during opposition-instigated violent protests that left a trail of destruction and claimed several lives.

The fund, which could have ordinary be deployed for critical services, was designed to rehabilitate and restock businesses affected by the violent protests.

So, again, no one will benefit from violence, and nothing can ever justify it.

We must jealously guard our peace at all cost, for it is the guarantor of a peaceful and prosperous country.

Thankfully, the police and other security arms have since been deployed across the country, which is reassuring, and, therefore, Zimbabweans must continue with business as usual.

Let us choose peace!