The run up to the August 23 harmonised elections is sadly following a familiar pattern and this speaks to lack of maturity and tolerance from the country’s leadership.
There are rising cases of political violence across the country, which are mainly attributed to supporters of the ruling Zanu PF who appear to be enjoying immunity from prosecution.
Supporters of the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have been targeted in places such as Masvingo and Midlands provinces for mobilising for their party.
Some villagers in Chiredzi allegedly had their homesteads torched for supporting CCC and the culprits are yet to be brought to book.
Independent presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere has had his campaign billboards pulled down and posters torn in an extreme show of intolerance by ruling party supporters.
Tourism deputy minister Barbra Rwodzi was recorded harassing a police officer in the Midlands for arresting a Zanu PF member for allegedly defacing CCC posters.
Rwodzi told the police officer that he should not have arrested the ruling party member and this was an insinuation that Zanu PF members are above the law.
The deputy minister’s superiors did not censure her and some senior government officials made it clear that nothing will happen to her despite the police saying they were investigating the incident.
Junior police officers in Midlands actually petitioned their bosses about the abuse they get at the hands of Zanu PF officials when they try to maintain law and order in the election season.
The silence by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government about Rwodzi’s conduct and the incidents of political violence suggests that it endorses the lawlessness.
Mnangagwa has been speaking about the need for the elections to be peaceful, but words alone are not enough if there is no action.
Police must be allowed to carry out their mandate in a non-partisan manner and without undue influence.
Political leaders must also walk the talk and call their supporters to order when they transgress like what is happening in Masvingo and the Midlands.
Zimbabwe needs to conduct a credible election as a starting point to solving a myriad of problems that have been weighing heavily on the country for the past two decades because of disputed polls.
That behoves the country’s leadership to practise tolerance and to lead by example with peaceful campaigns.