Zimbabwe MP says violence is so pervasive that every politician wants to have an army to deal with opponents

Full contribution

HON. MLISWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I want to contribute to this debate which was moved by Hon. Mandipaka in terms of the political parties’ perpetration of acts of violence in our nation and I repeat, strongly condemn political parties perpetrating acts of violence in our nation.

All political parties are responsible for the violence in this country; ZANU PF included, MDC included.  I say so because in my debate, I will clearly say that charity begins at home.  The violence you see perpetrated by the young people in the streets starts at home.  When I talk about home, I talk about the political parties that they belong to.  You cannot exonerate any political party from this.  It has become a culture.  Any politician believes that they must have an army; they must have a riot squad to go and deal with somebody who wants to contest or anything.  I say so with my history of having been a provincial chairperson of the ruling party.

The critical issue to understand is – what are political parties doing to ensure that there is tolerance amongst themselves?  I will give examples.  MDC – when Elton Mangoma left, he was beaten up at Harvest House.  This is there is in the public domain and I did not hear a statement from the leadership of the party admonishing that if there is anything, they were equally part of it.

HON. GONESE:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker.  There were people who were arrested who are members of the Movement for Democratic Change.  They were tried and acquitted.  In that regard, we need to come to the assault which the Hon. Member is referring to.  The truth of the matter is that the persons who were alleged to have assaulted Hon. Mangoma were acquitted by a court of law.  At the end of the day, you cannot visit that violence on the doorsteps of the Movement for Democratic Change – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

I think it is important to put it in that context.  So, it is not proper for the Hon. Member to impute to the MDC responsibility for that particular act of violence.  If he wants to give examples, he must not give examples whereby he makes reference to inaccurate information.  It is now in the public domain that a court of law acquitted the Hon. Members.  James Chidhakwa was acquitted by a court of law.  He was not found guilty of any offence.  My point is that Hon. Mliswa must not say that the MDC was supposed to make a statement because MDC was not responsible for the violence.  That is my point of order.  He must not make that submission that MDC should have ….

HON. MLISWA: Before even the Speaker rules, I have absolutely have no qualms in withdrawing.  I withdraw.  I will withdraw by proffering a very good example of a Glen View incident where a policeman was killed by MDC who are in jail – [HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] –  They were convicted and they are serving sentence right now…..

HON. GONESE:  Another point of order Mr. Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  No. No. No.

HON. GONESE:  There is an appeal and the …..

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  I have not recognised you.

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