Zimpapers Logo

Rtd Col Tshinga Dube

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Government should act decisively against aspiring Members of Parliament and councillors whose areas become political violence hotspots and those who may have a hand in sponsoring intolerance to gain political mileage.

In an interview yesterday, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, said to curb incidents of political violence, those who aspire to hold political office must be held to account whenever violence is recorded in their areas.

He said politicians who fail to charm the electorate tend to use force to gain political relevance.

Rtd Col Dube called for tolerance across the political divide saying politicians who sponsor violence are cowards who cannot convince the electorate on their policies.

“I believe violence is sponsored by those people who cannot convince people in their constituencies and they end up resorting to violence. When you cannot convince the people, you end up trying to use violence to force people to vote for you,” he said.

“Those who are used to cause political violence are used like mercenaries. They are hired by candidates to further their interests. If candidates are strictly told that if there is violence in the constituencies they will be held responsible, we won’t have incidents of political violence.”

Rtd Col Dube said it was highly unlikely that members of the public would be involved in political violence if they were not being paid for it.

He said his committee is satisfied with how Government is dealing with incidents of political violence following the arrest of two people over violence in Harare at a rally addressed by former Vice President and leader of National People’s Party Dr Joice Mujuru.

Zanu-PF has distanced itself from perpetrators of violence while Government has declared zero tolerance towards political intolerance.

Rtd Col Dube said the arrest of the culprits has given confidence to his committee that Government abhors political violence.

He said his committee was only going to act if there was no action from law enforcement agents.

“The fact that culprits have been arrested is satisfactory, the law has taken its course,” Rtd Col Dube said.

@nqotshili