Hosia Mviringi
Political parties have been urged to desist from making reckless utterances that have the potential to incite violence ahead of crucial elections.
As political temperatures continue to swell ahead of the March 26, 2022 by-elections and the 2023 harmonised elections, many political players have fallen for expediency, while forgetting their role to unite people towards peaceful elections.
"Now we hear that only yesterday Nelson Chamisa threatened to engage in violence if he loses the elections. What I want to say to him is that you have done a good thing of announcing those intentions with your own mouth. We are now ready for you," warned President Mnangagwa.
Of course those who thrive on using toxic twigs to ignite political fires of expediency need not cry fowl when the resultant toxic smoke enters their eyes.
The law will not forget its course when one wilfully abandons the correct line of conducting politics in favour of a dangerous pursuit of a selfish agenda which rails against the common aspirations of a peaceful and secure nation.
Rebuking such reckless utterances by Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa, the President said that the government will stand ready to crush any acts of violence and insurrection for any reasons during and after the upcoming elections.
On the occasion of the National Youth Day commemorations in Harare on Monday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated his call for peace and harmony in the period towards, during and after elections.
Many observers have likened Mr Chamisa's utterances to the August 1, 2018 which incited people to engage in violent demonstrations when election results were yet to be announced.
That incident resulted in unfortunate loss of lives as protestors clashed with law enforcement officers on the streets of Harare.
Said Chamisa to his supporters on Sunday at Highfields in Harare, "What I can assure you is that we will have the Courts on our side. But if it doesn't work for us at the courts, we will have ourselves as our own liberators. I will call on you to go and make it red (spill blood) on the streets".
Nelson Chamisa promised his supporters that he will be ready to lead that envisaged violent campaign from the front, a lie which he has repeatedly used to fool his supporters into engaging in dangerous confrontation with law enforcement agencies.
President Mnangagwa in all his public appearances has emphasised the importance of peace and the need to protect the sanctity of life at all costs.
The Peesident made a similar call at Epworth when he launched the ZANU PF by-election campaigns.
The country currently stares a lengthy election period that will most likely see a continuation of political elections beyond the current March 26 by-elections into the 2023 harmonised elections which are likely going to take place in the third quarter of the year.
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