Political violence, a launch pad for Zanu PF to loot state coffers: Chamisa

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa says Zanu-PF is plunging the country into political instability to allow its officials to loot state coffers.

Addressing journalists in Harare, Chamisa urged the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to closely monitor Zimbabwe amid the political violence orchestrated against the opposition party by Zanu-PF.

He said the situation in the country was riveting back to 2008 when thousands of opposition people were killed by the ruling party under late former President Robert Mugabe.

On Sunday, a mob of Zanu-PF members violently disrupted Chamisa’s rally in Kwekwe, injured 22 and killing one.

Chamisa said the political situation in Zimbabwe had the potential of causing instability in the region.

“It’s (Zanu-PF) provocative and intended to plunge the country into bloodshed and incessant instability. Raiding of state coffers and Corruption thrive under circumstances or instability,” Chamisa said.

He added: “The young people are hungry for Change, hunting for hope and desperate for opportunities.

“No amount of threat or intimidation will save our youths! they have no jobs, their futures thrown into disarray by looting!

“How do you think these youth you are suppressing are feeling and will feel? Is this not the same suppression under Smith that gave birth to the liberation idea?”

He added: “All the war veterans of our liberation struggle , and the entire crop of leaders in government today were the same age (18 to 30) as the youths that they brutalized in Kwekwe last Sunday and are brutalizing across the country

“These youths have; never been formally employed, never had the opportunity to go to school for the most part, have no social safety nets by governments and have no hospitals.”

Chamisa noted that the youths were resorting to vending just to put food on the table adding that their only “crime is seeking the right to self-determination through peaceful campaigning and peaceful elections.

“Oppressors subject Zimbabweans, especially the young ones, to deliberately orchestrated brutality.”

The European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen has since urged Zimbabwean authorities to bring to justice perpetrators of violence.

He called the killing “a heinous act of political violence which has to be condemned.”

“Those responsible need to be brought to justice and a level playing field for campaigning must be guaranteed. Sincere condolences for the loss of life and a speedy recovery to victims,” Olkkonen said. Nehanda Radio