Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT) has petitioned parliament to act on the rise in cases of politically motivated violence in the country ahead of the general elections scheduled for 2023.
The petition contains complaints of 5 000 citizens who have been victims of politically motivated violence in the past.
In its petition, HZT claimed that political violence was being fanned by the “abuse of traditional leaders’ authority” as well as hate speech by political and societal leaders. It said:
The increase in cases of politically motivated violence, intimidation, hate speech and intolerance which has claimed lives, property and livelihoods of citizens across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe has become a regular occurrence.
The interventions by the government, state institutions and bodies mandated to ensure peace, national healing, social cohesion and the prevention and mitigation of violent conflict have been inadequate and failed to tame the beast of violence.
These ills, if left unaddressed, threaten to tear apart the prospects of a peaceful, tolerant general election in 2023.
HZT trust requested parliament to summon state institutions such as the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabwe Republic Police as well as traditional leaders to hear how they intended to put a stop to politically motivated violence. | ZimLive