Back to Index

Violence, it's politics stupid
Heal Zimbabwe Trust
February 09, 2011

Violence in the country has reached unprecedented levels with continued reports of political violence coming from various provinces. This upsurge in political violence which started in Harare two weeks ago has resulted in the loss of property in the capital and more reports indicate that there were houses burnt in Bindura on Sunday, 06 February 2011.The Mbare and Epworth violence and the subsequent looting of property in the city of Harare bears testimony to the fact that politicians are upping up their violent muscles against each other and this will not do the country any good. With the expiry of the Government of National Unity (GNU) three days from now, the country should embrace for more fatalities as a result of political violence. It is saddening that from the 150 people currently displaced by the ongoing violence, 95% of them are the same people affected by the violence that erupted after the 2008 harmonized elections.

The violence continue to target political activists and unless the violence is openly and honestly castigated by the three principals of the GNU, and the perpetrators arrested and sentenced, more cases should be expected in the coming days. It remains the ordinary man on the street that suffers from such violence as witnessed by the arbitrary beatings of people in Harare at Gulf complex and the violence that has rocked Mbare, Epworth among other parts of Zimbabwe. It is Heal Zimbabwe's contention that politicians alone have the capacity to put a stop to the violence being witnessed. The organization calls upon the politicians to desist from sending their youths into the streets and suburbs to intimidate innocent civilians who are striving very hard to irk a living.

The silence by political leaders on the issue of violence is quite unfortunate and regrettable. People have witnessed so much noise around outstanding issues in the GPA, if the furore being raised around the outstanding issues for example, sanctions and the issue of governors, be used as condemnation of violence , then the country would be celebrating diversity and overcoming adversity in a peaceful Zimbabwe .

We reiterate that the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) and the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation have also failed to adequately deal with issues of violence. People are still waiting to hear from the Organ on National healing what it has to say regarding the violence and the proper steps it is taking to ensure peace and stability in Zimbabwe. Heal Zimbabwe further calls upon the Attorney General's office to be at the fore front of investigating these cases of violence to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book and a mechanism to compensate the victims is put in place .This lack of accountability has made it easy for perpetrators to continue engaging in violence without any deterrent measures being taken against them.

We call upon SADC and the African Union to quickly intervene against such violence before there is loss of life in the country. President Zuma should extend his brotherly love to the people of Zimbabwe by ensuring that such violence of this magnitude is not left unchecked. SADC and African Union summits should not only be called when there has been blood on the streets of Zimbabwe but should be held so that they map out practical strategies that preserve peace and harmony in Zimbabwe.

Visit the Heal Zimbabwe fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP