Zimbabwe is set to hold harmonized elections on August 23, and the Republic of Zambia envoy to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Derick Livune, has urged Zimbabweans to prioritize peace during this election period. He made this call during a meeting with Acting President Dr. Constantino Chiwenga in Harare, where he emphasized the importance of peace as a key component for economic development.
President Mnangagwa has also been calling upon all contestants, the electorate, and stakeholders to ensure that the elections are peaceful, free, and fair. This is in response to previous elections that have witnessed incidents of violence primarily emanating from opposition political party processes, such as their primary elections, and post-voting disturbances as the opposition players usually decline to accept defeat by the ruling Zanu PF.
President Mnangagwa has been championing peace before, during, and after the elections, with a consistent message that what unites the people and the need to champion economic development for the benefit of the populace is far more important than brawling over who should govern. Ambassador Livune noted President Mnangagwa’s message and expressed support for it, stating that peace is a panacea to development.
The envoy also highlighted that a problem anywhere is a problem everywhere, and both Zambia and Zimbabwe cannot be happy if either country is unstable. Therefore, he prayed for Zimbabwe and hoped that all Zimbabweans would realize that they have one country, Zimbabwe, and are brothers and sisters. He urged them to prioritize peace during the election period, reminding them that elections will be just one day, but they must live as one afterward.
