Opinion / Columnist
Politically-motivated violence a concern
01 Mar 2022 at 05:37hrs | Views
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa chats with some party supporters injured after suspected Zanu-PF youths attacked an opposition rally in Kwekwe yesterday
THE Election Resource Centre (ERC) notes with grave concern the politically-motivated violence targeting Citizens Coalition for Change supporters in Kwekwe on Sunday February 27, 2022.
Acts of political violence are unacceptable in Zimbabwe's democracy, and ERC calls on all political parties, State institutions and electoral stakeholders to desist from the practice.
Further, ERC calls on the constitutional bodies responsible for justice to investigate and prosecute instigators of violence.
ERC reminds political parties and their supporters that democracy is about multi-parties and divergent views and to that end, calls on all political parties to respect democratic principles set out in the Constitution.
While ERC applauds the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for acting swiftly in arresting the accused persons, the unresponsiveness of institutions meant to promote peace and a free and fair electoral environment will lead to a lack of confidence in the functionality of those systems.
At a time when electoral credibility is waning, there must be deliberate efforts to fix the damage done to the legitimacy of our democratic institutions.
Trust in institutions is a critical part of systemic peace and credible elections.
1. ERC calls upon the ZRP, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission whose constitutional mandate is to support human rights, democracy, to promote constitutionalism, peaceful co-existence to swiftly move in to exert their mandates without fear or favour and investigate the violence meted out in Kwekwe in order to avert a degeneration into chaos.
2. ERC calls on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to proactively act in terms of their constitutional functions to ensure free and fair elections.
The ongoing unresponsiveness of Zec to politically-motivated violence casts into doubt the freeness and fairness of the impending by-elections and will contribute to the already increasing citizen apathy ahead of the polls.
THE Election Resource Centre (ERC) notes with grave concern the politically-motivated violence targeting Citizens Coalition for Change supporters in Kwekwe on Sunday February 27, 2022.
Acts of political violence are unacceptable in Zimbabwe's democracy, and ERC calls on all political parties, State institutions and electoral stakeholders to desist from the practice.
Further, ERC calls on the constitutional bodies responsible for justice to investigate and prosecute instigators of violence.
ERC reminds political parties and their supporters that democracy is about multi-parties and divergent views and to that end, calls on all political parties to respect democratic principles set out in the Constitution.
While ERC applauds the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for acting swiftly in arresting the accused persons, the unresponsiveness of institutions meant to promote peace and a free and fair electoral environment will lead to a lack of confidence in the functionality of those systems.
At a time when electoral credibility is waning, there must be deliberate efforts to fix the damage done to the legitimacy of our democratic institutions.
Trust in institutions is a critical part of systemic peace and credible elections.
1. ERC calls upon the ZRP, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission whose constitutional mandate is to support human rights, democracy, to promote constitutionalism, peaceful co-existence to swiftly move in to exert their mandates without fear or favour and investigate the violence meted out in Kwekwe in order to avert a degeneration into chaos.
2. ERC calls on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to proactively act in terms of their constitutional functions to ensure free and fair elections.
The ongoing unresponsiveness of Zec to politically-motivated violence casts into doubt the freeness and fairness of the impending by-elections and will contribute to the already increasing citizen apathy ahead of the polls.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
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