Temba Mliswa, the independent member of parliament for Norton constituency, has urged his supporters and opponents to shun violence and embrace peace ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.
Mliswa, who is seeking re-election, said that he wants to have peaceful elections that reflect the will of the people.
Mliswa made these remarks during a rally in Norton over the weekend, where he addressed thousands of his followers. He said that violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic society and that voters should exercise their right to choose their leaders freely.
“We need to be tolerant of each other, those who will engage in violence will lose. Do not vote for a party that is intimidating you, do not vote for people who are violating you. If that person gets into power, they will continue with their violent traits.
“I want us to have peaceful elections, God already knows how these elections will pen out, he knows the winners in all elections so there is no need to fight and hate each other. We need one Norton, one constituency,” said Mliswa.
Mliswa’s message of peace and tolerance comes at a time when the election campaign has been marred by ugly violent scenes in some parts of the country. Several incidents of clashes between rival political parties have been reported, resulting in injuries and property damage. Some candidates and activists have also been arrested or harassed by the police or state agents.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), a coalition of 37 non-governmental organisations that monitors elections, has also been spreading the importance of peace through its Vote in Peace campaign. The campaign aims to educate voters on their rights and responsibilities, as well as to promote dialogue and conflict resolution among stakeholders.
ZESN has also called on the government and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to implement electoral reforms that will ensure a credible, free and fair election. ZESN has highlighted issues such as voter registration, voter education, ballot paper design and printing, polling station management, results transmission and verification, and electoral dispute resolution.
