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Political Intolerance rampant - Heal Zimbabwe Trust
18 Sep 2016 at 09:02hrs | Views
Heal Zimbabwe Trust has said evidence of political intolerance continues to grow within the Zimbabwean body politics.
"Political intolerance, in the context of Zimbabwe is the unwillingness of political parties and their members to accept the opinions, views and or behaviour that differ with theirs. This can be internally within their parties or across political parties. About 29 cases of political intolerance were recorded," the trust said.
"Currently political intolerance is manifesting in the form of political threats of violence, abduction, rape and denial of food against perceived opposition parties and individuals. For example, in Gutu ward 6, Mr. Michael Bhema, a ZANU PF elected Councillor threatened villagers who attended the Zimbabwe People First rally at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on the 19th of July 2016.
Bhema said "those who attended Zimbabwe People First rally in Masvingo will have their names submitted to the Central Intelligence Officers and dealt with before the 2018 elections."
The trust
said these remarks show the relationship and a conflation between state
structures and political party businesses which is a violation of the
constitution.
"The constitution prohibits security structures from supporting any political party and from acting in a partisan manner. In Uzumba Ward 6, on the 20th of August, ZANU PF Ward 6 Chairperson Godfrey Chikono moved around the ward threatening members of the public who attended a public meeting hosted by the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) on the 19th of August 2016 at Mutawatawa Business Centre," reported the trust.
"He threatened violence and eviction to those who disregarded his words and instructed that only meetings announced by ZANU PF should be attended. Similar threats were also reported in Buhera ward 5, a ZANU PF Councillor, Jane Ziki ordered people at community gatherings and meetings that all opposition supporters in the area should "repent" before the 2018 elections, or face the "consequences".
Other cases of political intolerance were also reported in Shamva ward 11, Gutu Ward 2, Mbire Ward 17 and Nyanga North ward 2, Chinhoyi ward 15 and Mazowe North constituency.
The trust said in Mazowe, ZANU PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Chairperson, Dickson Mafios was addressing rallies campaigning for the Parliamentary by election candidate, Advocate Martin Dinha where he threatened people with evictions if Mr Dinha lose the election.
"Political intolerance, in the context of Zimbabwe is the unwillingness of political parties and their members to accept the opinions, views and or behaviour that differ with theirs. This can be internally within their parties or across political parties. About 29 cases of political intolerance were recorded," the trust said.
"Currently political intolerance is manifesting in the form of political threats of violence, abduction, rape and denial of food against perceived opposition parties and individuals. For example, in Gutu ward 6, Mr. Michael Bhema, a ZANU PF elected Councillor threatened villagers who attended the Zimbabwe People First rally at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on the 19th of July 2016.
Bhema said "those who attended Zimbabwe People First rally in Masvingo will have their names submitted to the Central Intelligence Officers and dealt with before the 2018 elections."
"The constitution prohibits security structures from supporting any political party and from acting in a partisan manner. In Uzumba Ward 6, on the 20th of August, ZANU PF Ward 6 Chairperson Godfrey Chikono moved around the ward threatening members of the public who attended a public meeting hosted by the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) on the 19th of August 2016 at Mutawatawa Business Centre," reported the trust.
"He threatened violence and eviction to those who disregarded his words and instructed that only meetings announced by ZANU PF should be attended. Similar threats were also reported in Buhera ward 5, a ZANU PF Councillor, Jane Ziki ordered people at community gatherings and meetings that all opposition supporters in the area should "repent" before the 2018 elections, or face the "consequences".
Other cases of political intolerance were also reported in Shamva ward 11, Gutu Ward 2, Mbire Ward 17 and Nyanga North ward 2, Chinhoyi ward 15 and Mazowe North constituency.
The trust said in Mazowe, ZANU PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Chairperson, Dickson Mafios was addressing rallies campaigning for the Parliamentary by election candidate, Advocate Martin Dinha where he threatened people with evictions if Mr Dinha lose the election.
Source - Byo24News
