Opinion / Columnist
Blame Zanu-PF for causing sanctions
28 Oct 2022 at 01:27hrs | Views
IT IS great to hear that so many countries are supporting us in the drive to have sanctions removed. But at the same time these countries and organisations don't appear to be putting any blame on the party that gave rise to those sanctions in the first place. The sanctions were imposed to try to encourage Zanu-PF to uphold the tenets of democracy and to stop election violence and human rights abuses. This was after the observer missions from the West were denied permission to observe elections over 20 years ago and the election violence that ensued. It had nothing to do with the farm invasions as Zanu-PF keeps claiming,
Surely it would not be asking too much for Zanu-PF to stop its election violence and reign in supporters perpetuating this. They should be showing the world that they will allow a level playing field for all political parties. They should allow the police and courts to prosecute all perpetrators of violence irrespective of their political affiliation. They should be allowing CCC to hold rallies without being barred by the police and\or violent youth brigades.
They should end abductions and all other forms of human rights abuse. The list goes on and on ad infinitum. We have not seen any serious action from the President to stop his party members from using terrorist tactics to allow citizens freedom of movement or being allowed to hold divergent political views.
In fact, terror of opposing Zanu-PF is once again endemic in the lead-up to the 2023 elections. And the President and his party chefs seem to be leading the onslaught with their utterances against all and sundry. His calls for peace are not observed by Zanu-PF thugs and believed by the citizens as a whole.
The International community is not stupid and has no reason to believe him either. For years, Sadc, the African Union and United Nations have ignored the plight of the terrorised citizens and pleas to intervene to arrest the Zanu-PF violence and allow us to have peaceful, free and fair elections.
Surely it would not be asking too much for Zanu-PF to stop its election violence and reign in supporters perpetuating this. They should be showing the world that they will allow a level playing field for all political parties. They should allow the police and courts to prosecute all perpetrators of violence irrespective of their political affiliation. They should be allowing CCC to hold rallies without being barred by the police and\or violent youth brigades.
They should end abductions and all other forms of human rights abuse. The list goes on and on ad infinitum. We have not seen any serious action from the President to stop his party members from using terrorist tactics to allow citizens freedom of movement or being allowed to hold divergent political views.
In fact, terror of opposing Zanu-PF is once again endemic in the lead-up to the 2023 elections. And the President and his party chefs seem to be leading the onslaught with their utterances against all and sundry. His calls for peace are not observed by Zanu-PF thugs and believed by the citizens as a whole.
The International community is not stupid and has no reason to believe him either. For years, Sadc, the African Union and United Nations have ignored the plight of the terrorised citizens and pleas to intervene to arrest the Zanu-PF violence and allow us to have peaceful, free and fair elections.
Source - Newsday Zimbabwe
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