BY CATHERINE MUCHIRI CRISIS in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to operationalise multi-party liaison committees to rein in political parties that fail to adhere to Zec’s code of conduct and perpetrate electoral violence.
This follows increased cases of political intolerance as highlighted by last week’s assault of journalists and opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members in Gokwe- Kabuyuni by suspected Zanu PF activists.
In a statement yesterday, CiZC further called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition party leaders to publicly denounce violence within their political parties.
“We call for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to — without fear or favour investigate; arrest and prosecute perpetrators of political violence, many of whom are known. This not only enhances public confidence in the law enforcement agents, but also deters would-be perpetrators, and creates a peaceful and free environment as Zimbabwe heads for the 2023 elections. The Coalition further implores the police not to coalesce with the ruling party in denying the opposition and civil society actors operating space, “the CiZC statement read.
“Section 219 of the Constitution gives the police the responsibility of preventing crime, protecting lives and property, maintaining law and order, upholding the Constitution and enforcing the law without fear or favour. It is, therefore, with no doubt that having such recurring incidents of violence is an indictment on the Zimbabwe Republic Police.”
Zec spokesperson commissioner Jasper Mangwana said: “It is not that the commission is going to operationalise the multi-party liaison committee; these engagements are already operational wherever there is an election or a by-election. Like in the just concluded by-elections in Gokwe, the multi-party stakeholders were engaged in not less than three liaison engagements.
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“Wherever there is a by-election, all contesting parties are called, and so it’s a continuous process. Remember elections are a continuous cycle. There are not less than three meetings with parties involved where issues are raised and we discuss how we are going to conduct the elections.”
Mangwana said for general elections, committee engagements were initiated once a proclamation was made by the President, and the nominees announced.
“We call for these engagements to discuss issues specifically for the harmonised general elections,” Mangwana added.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) point person on elections Ian Makone said his party was worried that cases of political violence kept escalating.
“We must find ways and means of stopping such bad practice. The multi-party liaison platform is a useful tool for highlighting and addressing the things that are already in the public domain; for example, the cases of violence targeted at CCC in Hwedza and Gokwe. These are matters that should be handled openly and we urge the law enforcement agents to; without fear, address these issues at local level and to bring in Zec because by law they should be involved,” Makone said.
Zanu PF information director Tafadwa Mugwadi said: “I don’t know what form of peace these multi-party liaison committees are supposed to bring, which is not happening right now. I cannot discuss this any further.”
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