By Staff writer
JUST over a week before the general elections, political parties in the Midlands province on Wednesday signed the provincial peace pledge in solidarity with the message of peace during the elections.
The provincial peace pledge is a follow-up to the national peace pledge that was made by political parties contesting in the plebiscite slated for next week Wednesday.
The three major political parties in the country, ZANU PF, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC -T all appended signatures to the pledge, as assurance that the parties will desist from violence during the elections period.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) president Dr Ignatius Makumbe urged the political parties to respect the pledge and honour their promises of desisting from violence.
“Today as political parties, as you put pen to paper, let us go and implement what you have signed here,” he said.
“It will be a disgrace after you signed, for us to hear stories of violence,lives being lost, property destroyed, production time wasted.”
Elections in Zimbabwe have been marred with violence over the past years, with the most recent 2018 elections fresh on many’s minds after six civilians were shot dead by soldiers during violent protests in central Harare.
However, this year the environment has been generally tranquil, with the death of one CCC supporter in Harare last week, putting a dent on the peaceful environment.
