Opposition has crossed the red line – President
Hosia Mviringi
President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Mnangagwa has lashed out at excitable opposition parties and their leaders who are in the habit of colluding with foreign governments and organizations to bring negative attention on the country especially ahead of crucial international events.
He said opposition parties are in the habit of peddling falsehoods in order to whip their supporters into committing orgies of violence, hate and disharmony.
The President was speaking at the National Heroes Acre yesterday in Harare at the occasion of the burial of the late national hero Major General (Rtd) Sydney Vulindlela Bhebe who died on Monday June 13, 2022.
Major General (Rtd) Bhebe, whose Chimurenga name was Yengani Dlodlo succumbed to complications related to sugar diabetes at the Avenues Clinic in Harare.
“The levels and intensity of falsehoods being peddled by some opposition political parties to whip their supporters into orgies of violence, hate and disharmony , is now extremely worrisome and my administration will not stand by and watch. Zimbabwe is a peaceful country and this culture is alien to our society under the Second Republic,” said the President.
In a send off speech to the departed National Hero, President Mnangagwa said that the time had come for the law to be applied evenly at all those who violate the tenets of national security, peace and harmony without regard of political, societal or otherwise standing.
He warned that law enforcement agencies will now be on high alert to bring culprits to book for acts that are likely to negate the values of the liberation struggle, among which peaceful co-existence is primary.
“The law will take effect and its application will be without fear or favour. No one is above the law. I, thus, call upon our communities throughout the country to be vigilant against these destabilising and hateful political parties,” said the President.
The President spoke strongly against the recent incidences of violence that characterized the funeral of the murdered Moreblessing Ali in the Nyatsime Township of Chitungwiza.
He frowned at such cowardly acts which he described as ‘deplorable and should never be repeated’.
“What happened recently in the Nyatsime Township of Chitungwiza is deplorable and should never be repeated. The nation is now familiar with these shenanigans and incidences of staged violence, which are designed to tarnish the image of Zimbabwe, especially ahead of major international meetings. This time, the destabilising theatrics by the opposition elements are being done ahead of the CHOGM meeting in Rwanda,”said the President.
The President urged communities to be always vigilant and on the look-out for strange people from outside their communities who might infiltrate them to cause havoc, confusion and subsequently destructive violence among them.
“Keep your eyes and ears wide open. Do not allow outsides from your communities to come and disturb the peace and harmony in your areas. Violence has no place in the Zimbabwe we are building. We want peace, peace, peace, love and harmony. Equally, let us as a people shun all forms of self-hate, as well as the peddling of falsehoods and misinformation. Together, we must entrench the values of love, honesty, hard work and patriotism as we continue on the journey to guarantee our national development and prosperity, for all our people, no matter where they live.”
The President went further and urged the people of Zimbabwe to refuse to be used in committing violence, brother on brother, sister on sister. He said this is tantamount to self-hatred which is a destructive phenomenon on a nation.
“I call upon the nation at large, across all provinces, districts and wards to refuse to be used by self-seeking charlatans, masquerading as politicians. Rambai kushandiswa kuita violence (refuse to be used to commit acts of violence). Parents and guardians, please guide our youths accordingly. Violence does not pay,” said President Mnangagwa.
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