EDITORIAL COMMENT: Zimbabweans must ignore Chamisa’s calls for violence

23 Feb, 2020 - 00:02 0 Views
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Zimbabweans must ignore Chamisa’s calls for violence Mr Nelson Chamisa

The Sunday News

AS MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa continues his futile quest to power through the backdoor, just like before, he has announced plans to sponsor violence in the country, a grave route that has nothing to do with uplifting the livelihoods of Zimbabweans.

This also comes at a time when divisions are growing by each passing day in the opposition party, with senior members showing disdain at his poor leadership, characterised by dictatorial tendencies and quest for violence. 

Those factors were confirmed by members of his party, including those who left his shaky party, the likes of Dr Thokozani Khupe who suffered violence first hand while still a member of  Mr Chamisa’s party.

Mr Chamisa and his party lost the 2018 elections to President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF, and developments on the ground point to another dismal showing by Mr Chamisa and his party in the next elections, which is the reason why Mr Chamisa has chosen to use violence to disturb peace and also try to throw spanners into the work of the Government. Suffice to say, his plans will not succeed.

Zimbabweans must ignore Mr Chamisa. They must not be party to anything that derails economic recovery and the smooth flowing international re-engagements efforts being made by the Government. In fact, anyone who calls for violence is the real enemy of the people.

Last week, Mr Chamisa said his party was planning to plunge the country into an orgy of violence as it has abandoned its calls for dialogue. 

This is despite the fact that President Mnangagwa has extended an olive branch to Mr Chamisa to join other parties for dialogue under the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), a gesture which the MDC-Alliance leader has repeatedly rejected.   He has instead demanded talks outside Polad. 

Mr Chamisa made the declaration during a press conference last week at the MDC-Alliance headquarters in Harare after a tour of the party’s provincial structures across the country. In the meetings where the media was barred, Mr Chamisa reportedly told members that they would engage in spontaneous violent demonstrations and this time would not notify the police of their intentions to hold “rallies” as required by the law. 

 “Now we are drawing the line in the sand, even in the party I have told them, we will not continue on this path of talking about dialogue, we must be able to resolve this issue once and for all and you will see more of the people taking to the streets, you will see more people acting now more than ever before,” Mr Chamisa was quoted as saying. 

He said his party was ignoring advice to prepare for the 2023 elections but was going for a “radical” and “disruptive” approach. 

“Ultimately the people have the right to protest, all we have to do is to provide the oxygen to the demand of that protest and that oxygen we will provide to those who are willing to participate, we will make sure we provide leadership and that will be provided,” said Mr Chamisa. 

Last January, MDC-Alliance and its partner organisations instigated violent demonstrations across the country which saw massive destruction of property. Bulawayo was the worst affected as many businesses were looted and shops burnt down, and owners robbed of a source of income. A police officer was also killed by the violent demonstrators. 

The Government had to come to the rescue of the affected businesses by launching a $30 million emergency relief loan fund to assist businesses and shop owners whose outlets were destroyed and looted during the violent protests.

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