Mnangagwa: Zimbabwe Will Shame Foreign Observers "Wishing Violence" In Elections

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe will “shame” foreign elections observer missions who “wish” to see violence during the southern African country’s upcoming harmonised elections scheduled for August 23, 2023.

Speaking to a crowd of ZANU PF supporters in Centenary, Mashonaland Central province, the President emphasised that Zimbabweans are a peace-loving people and would not support any acts of violence during the elections. He also urged foreign observer missions to stick to their mandate and not to interfere in Zimbabwe’s electoral process. He said:

Some foreign observer missions that are in the country are wishing that violence will dominate our elections.

They think there is going to be violence but let me remind them that we are against such wayward behaviours. We love peace; we promote peace as we are a loving people.

Those who wish violence, we will shame you. We will never promote violence in Zimbabwe.

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Since the arrival of the ZANU PF supporters here (Centenary), no one has been beaten. We are over a hundred thousand people here.

He also warned citizens against promoting and causing political anarchy in communities, indicating that the law would take its course against those who engage in such activities. Said the president:

I warn those who want to destabilise this nation and promote violence that we will not tolerate any of that.

The law will take its course against those hooligans.

President Mnangagwa’s remarks come amid reports of violence in some rural parts of the country. Members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) were allegedly assaulted in Gutu South by ZANU PF members after the visit of their party leader, Nelson Chamisa. Such incidents are not new in Zimbabwe, as the country has a history of violence immediately before, during, and in the aftermath of elections.

In the past, some elections were declared not free and fair due to violence and intimidation of opposition voters. The international community has been calling on Zimbabwe to implement electoral reforms that would ensure a level playing field. Such reforms have been stated as a precondition for engagement with the international community. Zimbabwe faced isolation at the turn of the millennium when Western powers, including the United Kingdom and the United States of America, imposed sanctions on the country over alleged human rights abuses during the land reform program. 

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