Harare Zimbabwe (News of the South)-The recent episodes of violence involving demonstrators against law enforcement personnel is an unwelcome feature upon the country’s landscape especially at this moment and should not be encouraged by anyone across the political divide.
Violence won’t save any progressive purpose as it can be the reason for the thwarting of change as those in power use it as an excuse to come down hard against progress.
Zimbabwe is already undergoing radical political shifts which are the more noble if allowed enough democratic and peaceful space to unravel on their natural selves. The instigation and genetically modified nature of violence as a measure to push the changes ahead is a wrong tactic.
We have witnessed the fracturing of relationships between the ruling ZANU PF and Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), a combination that has been blamed for some unsavoury acts in the county before.
We have witnessed the slow simmering disintegration of power enclaves in ZANU through attritional battles of the personnel within it.
All these events have put bare the reality of a party that can actually be defeated come 2018.
ZANU PF has been very human of late that with enough strategizing and organisation the opposition parties possess one of the biggest chances to dislodge the liberation movement when the elections come around.
These changes have been largely a result of realizations by many, in and outside of ZANU PF, that the country is really in a bad position and requires some form of political modifications. They are not results of any violent demonstrations.
The demonstrations have only come after the change has begun.
Some have wrong images borrowed from the Arab Spring demonstrations in North Africa which in actual effect haven’t worked utopias into existance.
Violence will not work in this country and may actually work in favour of the government which is already cornered. It will provide a justification for spirited attacks upon the opposition.
All that demonstrators need to do is demonstrate in the most peaceful ways and not resort to acts of violence lest their actions destroy the gains which have already been made so far.
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