Source: Zimbabwe Peace Project
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Theme: Political Intolerance
As political parties and the electorate brace for the 2018 general elections political intolerance continues to take center stage. In a democratic country where plurality should be welcome, political players and their structures are failing to come to terms with rising opposition on the political front. At a time when factionalism is rife in Zanu PF, the leadership is thwarting opposition and promoting political intolerance.
Executive Summary
At any other time political intolerance could go unnoticed or would not be prominent as it is this August. This month MDC-T and ZimPF are trying hard to grow their membership base especially in rural areas as they prepare for the 2018 general elections. Ironically, it is during this month that most rural communities are looking forward to food aid as most granaries are dry. In Zimbabwe failure to accet other political players is becoming a sad culture. Those that are in Zanu PF believe they deserve to use state resources and determine beneficiaries.
The shocking levels of intolerance have gone beyond Zanu PF and opposition but between MDC-T and ZimPF as well. On 20 August Mashonaland East MDC-T supporters went rogue and started their own campaign “tinodawo mastands” (we also want residential stands). The right to land has lost it’s universality as opposition political parties are sidelined in land distribution and redistribution. MDC-T youths have also become intolerant that they believe they are more deserving of rights more than other political party supporters.
In Mt Darwin North, people that are known to support ZimPF are called out by ZanuPF leadership, humilated and told not to attend public gatherings. Some are forced to denounce their political parties. These are signs that 2018 elections preparations are in full gear. There are no attempts to foster development regardless of political affiliation. In Mutoko North at Masisi Primary School the school development committee delved in identifying school cooks and the political parties they belong to, expelling one cook on grounds that he does not support Zanu PF. A development meeting was disrupted in Mutoko South when the Member of Parliament, David Chapfika, said the agenda of the meeting should have included an aspect discouraging people from taking part in protests against the ruling government.
The intolerance not only breeds physical violence between members of different political parties but the rot continues to spread to food distribution. On 12 August in Makoni North a social worker from Chingono Village was victimised after refusing to side line MDC-T supporters during food distribution. Opposition activists live in communities where their rights to shelter and food are violated. It is disconcerting to note that as granaries are dry more and more citizens are being denied food aid that is distributed by the Department of Social Welfare.
It is sad to note that citizens’ freedom to demonstrate and petition is still at risk as police continue to brutalise those who exercise this freedom. Brutality linked to street protests have also followed known opposition and citizen movement activists to their homes raising red flags around risks of abduction andor kidnapping. Journalists have become victims of brutality in the conduct of their duties and some have languished in prison for several weeks.
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Source: Zimbabwe Peace Project