Mnangagwa's women blasts Chamisa

The Zanu-PF Women's League has castigated MDC-Alliance leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa, for calling for violent anti-Government protests to unseat a constitutionally-elected government.

The sentiments come after the MDC-Alliance leader has continuously threatened to unleash violence in the country.

In a statement, Zanu-PF Women's League secretary Mabel Chinomona urged the nation to remain united, vigilant, calm and steadfast in its quest towards maintaining peace and tranquillity.

"The Zanu-PF Women's League is deeply disturbed by the tendency by some sections of the country's opposition political parties colluding with certain civil society organisations with a culture of agitating for the use of various forms and acts of political violence and intimidation as a way of achieving their goals," she said.

"Political violence impedes our collective attainment of national interests and also the full exercise of equal opportunity in political participation by all citizens."  

Chinomona  said: "In that regard, the Zanu-PF Women's League strongly castigates the reckless utterances and disturbing calls by the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance party, Nelson Chamisa, encouraging the nation to carry out violent anti-Government protests for the purpose of unlawfully removing a constitutionally elected Government."

She said the calls were made during the MDC-Alliance party's 5th Congress held at Ascot Stadium in Gweru recently.

"It can be recalled that the MDC-A, working covertly in cahoots with rogue civil society organisations, has in the past unleashed violent demonstrations that have resulted in loss of precious lives and wanton destruction of property," said Chinomona.

"In recent times, the country experienced the catastrophic MDC-A led post-election violence on August 1, 2018, as well as the January 2019 shutdown.

"In both incidences lives were lost and there was malicious damage to both public and private properties. As the Zanu-PF Women's League, we unequivocally condemn such evil and irresponsible calls that exacerbate the vulnerability of all citizens, particularly women and children and those living with disabilities. Organised despondency breeds destruction, hence consequences of social fragmentation are heavily felt by women."

Chinomona said as a constitutional democracy, they have taken heed of President Mnangagwa's call for the country to embrace political and economic reforms in the Second Republic. She said the reforms were intended to propel the country towards a vibrant upper middle income economy by the year 2030.

Chinomona said as women, they urge political actors in the country to use the existing constitutionally mandated institutions such as the legislature, various commissions, the political actors dialogue as well as other lawful mechanisms to exercise their democratic rights.

"It is from this background that the Zanu-PF Women's League urges the whole nation to remain united, vigilant, calm and steadfast in our quest towards maintaining peace and tranquillity as these are pre-requisites to sustainable socio-economic development," she said.

"The Women's League reiterates its total support and loyalty to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, who is also Zanu-PF's First Secretary, His Excellency Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and his Government."  

Government recently said it will not hesitate to take all lawful measures, both pre-emptive and remedial, to ensure peace, law and order prevail countrywide.

Addressing a press conference, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said those who choose to engage in any acts of violence will have themselves to blame when the full wrath of the law visits them.