Political parties preach peace

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
political parties that will contest in next month’s harmonised elections have urged their candidates and supporters to ensure that they maintain peace before, during and after the elections.

In separate interviews candidates from all the major parties, which have fielded candidates around Beitbridge and Matabeleland South province said party supporters should not view elections as a battlefield.

They said elections where just a process to select leaders to champion developmental projects at local government and national levels.

Zanu PF’s candidate for Beitbridge East Constituency, Cde Albert Nguluvhe, said politicians should avoid using youths to perpetuate violence.

“We need to find better ways of motivating people to vote for our political parties and candidates rather than using violence,” he said. “I want to urge both the politicians and the youth across the political divide to ensure that we campaign peacefully and avoid unnecessary politically related skirmishes.

“Zimbabweans must emulate President Mnangagwa who has adopted zero tolerance to political violence of any kind and is advocating for unity, peace and development, to ensure we have free and fair elections in a peaceful environment,” he said.

Cde Nguluvhe said he has since held a successful pool tournament in Beitbridge town, which attracted scores of youths from different political parties running under the theme “Youth and Peace Campaigns”.

He said it was important for people to cultivate a culture of political tolerance.

MDC Alliance candidate, Ms Patricia Ndlovu, who will contest against Cde Nguluvhe, said; “As we move a gear up in our campaigns, let’s remember that we are still one people and there is no need to be divided by politics.

“It doesn’t matter which political party you belong to, it doesn’t give you any right to be abusive, we are all Zimbabweans.

“As political leaders we should encourage tolerance and desists from personal attacks. The whole idea is to choose one person to represent everyone. There is no need for violence or war, we should laugh about everything at the end of the day.”

Mthwakazi People’s Republic candidate for Beitbridge West constituency, Mr Brighton Ithutheng Sibanda, said the culture of intimidation by supporters of all political parties must be discouraged.

He said his party was committed to enhancing peace during the whole harmonised election period.

“We have told our supporters to maintain peace and we hope other political parties will also adhere to the need to create an optimal environment for peaceful, free and fair elections,” he said.

A representative of Dr Joyce Mujuru’s People’s Rainbow Coalition, Mr Johanne Ndou said; “Let every stakeholder involved in the elections play a positive role to bring about a peaceful environment during the time of canvassing for votes and after the announcement of elections results.”