President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reiterated the importance of peace in national development adding that violence is retrogressive.
He was speaking at the ordination of Great Zimbabwe University Vice Chancellor, Professor Rungano Zvobgo, as Bishop of the African Reformed Church at Shonganiso Mission in Masvingo province.
The ceremony was attended by church leaders of other indigenous churches and President Mnangagwa was the Guest of Honour. The president said:
In the state, hakuna nyika inobudirira ine mhirizhonga. We can’t build the country in violence, but in peace, and harmony. As leaders, whenever we find an opportunity, we preach peace, we also know that the church teaches good behaviour, there is no church which teaches wayward behaviour. If what the church does and the positive things the state does put together, we will realise development.
President Mnangagwa has previously spoken about the importance of peace in Zimbabwe but cases of interparty and intraparty violence continue to be recorded.
Government critics claim that ZANU PF leaders do castigate violence publicly but “secretly” send their supporters to attack members of the opposition to avoid responsibility.
The opposition has on several occasions claimed that ZANU PF activists were attacking them, especially during election time.
Rhetoric…
Stop the violence, then.
Cde President, you are not fooling anyone by preaching peace in public when your own party is acting otherwise. You should reign on your own party members first before talking of peace. More blessing Ali was murdered by members of your own party in Nyatsime and you did not offer any condolences to the family instead you arrested the victim’s family lawyer; Mboneni Ncube was murdered in Kwekwe by members of your own party and you never offered any condolences to the family; most recently an honourable member of Parliament and other innocent people were physically butchered by members of your own party and hospitalised, did you apologise for that; in Gutu members of your own party beat up and harassed people, they were not arrested and unashamedly the victims were instead arrested by the Police, did you call the Police and perpetrators of violence from your own party to order, shame on you and your hypocrisy, once again you are not fooling anyone, even members of your own party know that you don’t mean what you are saying.