Farai Dziva|Violence is not the solution to the political crisis in the country, Tatenda Maposa the director of Girl Child Empowerment of Zimbabwe has said.
Maposa called for political tolerance and castigated violence against women.
See Maposa’s statement:
PEACE BEGINS WITH YOU: NO TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND ABUSE OF WOMEN
As Masvingo residents we are saying no to politically motivated violence, no to looting and no to hate-
speech.
As Masvingo residents, we wish to reiterate that violence is not the solution to political problems.
Apart from leading to injury and infrastructure destruction,
violence breaks social cohesion and peace of the nation.
As Zimbabwe is currently faced by a huge economic turmoil and disagreements between
political parties, Zimbabweans must never allow political discourse to turn poisonous instead we
should all seek dialogue. We also believe that peace must begin with you and is extended to the next
person.
Politically motivated violence disturbs the lives of peace loving citizens and also endangers
the lives of those who have nothing to do with politics.
As Masvingo residents and Zimbabwean
citizens we urge all political party leaders to continue preaching the gospel of dialogue and peace to
their supporters. Political leaders must take lead in denouncing violence in any part of the nation.
Party
supporters must also take a leaf from unity which must be shown by their leaders. Violence itself, in
whatever form is not the best way forward and one can never use violence to advance one’s political
agenda.
Political differences mighty be there but, we are kindly pleading with all political parties to
swallow their pride, put the nation first and at heart and help each other to rebuild the nation. We do
not believe that politically motivated violence is the solution, we must desist from a situation whereby
young people are used as political weapons towards fueling political violence. As a province we are
eager to breed a peace loving generation which believes in peace and nation building. It is high time
our politics should be taken to the next level, where supporters of the victor and loser would be able
to sit down and share ideas, not exchange blows.
Our country has seen so much violence over the
past decades and it is high time political leaders should promote national peace, healing and tolerance.
At the centre of non-violence stands the principle of love.
As Masvingo residents, we believe that returning
violence for violence multiplies violence, adding the deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
