A peace advocacy group, 4H Zimbabwe, has called on political parties and media organizations to disseminate nonviolent content before, during, and after the upcoming harmonized elections on August 23.
During a media engagement meeting held in Harare on Wednesday, the Executive Director of 4H Zimbabwe, John Muchenje, emphasized the crucial role that political parties and the media play in fostering a peaceful electoral process.
Muchenje urged political parties to avoid spreading content that incites violence, highlighting the potential harmful consequences such messages could have on the electorate and the nation as a whole.
“We are striving to promote peace between political parties and subsequently between political parties and the media, recognizing the significance of both,” said Muchenje.
He added, “We encourage political parties to disseminate content that does not fuel violence. The same message applies to the media, which serves as an important tool in promoting peace before, during, and after elections.”
Also speaking at the event, Obert Gutu, a representative of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), urged citizens to report any incidents of violence to his organization.
He stated, “If anyone has complaints, they should approach us because we cannot actively seek out grievances on the streets. Without reports being brought to our attention, we cannot accurately gauge the situation. We do not engage in hunting for complaints or go on witch-hunts.”
Gutu’s response was in reaction to accusations made by Stephen Chuma, a representative of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), who criticized the NPRC for allegedly disregarding multiple reports of violence targeting his party members, including the Kwekwe incident that resulted in the death of Mboneni Ncube in the lead-up to the by-elections held in March 2022.
The media engagement meeting aimed to promote peace before, during, and after the elections. It brought together representatives from various political parties, including Zanu PF, the Citizens Coalition for Change, and the MDC led by Douglas Mwonzora.