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Mrs Lillian Chigwedere

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) yesterday condemned the violence that occurred at the burial of the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday and called for political tolerance among members of the opposition.

On that day, party youths attacked MDC-T co-deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe, secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora, among others officials.

Following the attack, Dr Khupe accused the party’s acting president Mr Nelson Chamisa of sending the youths to assault her.

Dr Khupe said the youths accused her of blocking Mr Chamisa’s rise to power.

NPRC deputy chairperson Commissioner Lilian Chigwedere said politicians should learn to resolve political differences without resorting to violence.

“Political party leaders are urged to desist from inciting their members to engage in violence and criminal activities.

“The nation has to have a culture of resolving conflicts and disputes peacefully. The NPRC encourages intra-party and inter-party dialogue as means for engagement and ending conflicts,” said Comm Chigwedere.

She said her commission is ready to work with political parties to resolve differences to prevent violence.

Comm Chigwedere said the country should with immediate effect stop victimising individuals on the basis of gender and ethnicity.

“The nation is therefore implored to stop immediately the victimisation of women and respect gender equality provisions in our constitution, desist from making utterances that denigrate other people along ethnic lines and uphold our constitution that recognises ethnic diversity and 16 official languages,” she said.

“Avoid using insulting, obscene or threatening language against members of society be it in intraparty or interparty situations. There has to be respect for divergent views without resorting to violence.”

MDC president Professor Welshman Ncube also condemned the violence.

“The MDC appeals to all young Zimbabweans who have undoubtedly been re-energised, excited and motivated by the possibility of the acting president of the MDC-T becoming the official presidential candidate of the MDC Alliance in this year’s harmonised elections scheduled to be held anytime between 22 July and 22 August 2018, to shun violence and threats of violence and to seek to bring about change through hard work by organising, mobilising and motivating others to register as voters and to turn up to vote on election day,” he said.

Prof Ncube commended Mr Chamisa for publicly denouncing violence in the party and pledging to take stern action against its perpetrators.

“The MDC encourages the acting president of the MDC-T to continuously show zero tolerance to violence and to consistently speak against it,” he said. — @nqotshili