MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa says
the government is trying to provoke opposition and civic society leaders into
engaging in violence by pushing them into a corner through a crackdown by law
enforcement agents.
Several activists, including MDC Alliance vice-chairperson
Job Sikhala, were forced into hiding after police released a list of people
they said were wanted in connection with the July 31 protests.
Chamisa, who returned to work on Friday following the death
of his mother last month, told Sabc News on Friday night that scores of Members
of Parliament from his party and some top leaders had been forced to go
underground after harassment by state security agents.
“Yes, there is the temptation to be violent because we are
being invited to be violent, because we are being treated violently,” Chamisa
said.
“But we have said ours is a democratic movement, we should
never be tempted to go on the low road of violence.
“Ours is a high road of peace, democracy and make sure we
democratically achieve democracy in Zimbabwe.”
Chamisa said those subjected to harassment by the state
included lawyers, journalists, activists and even professionals who all “cannot
breathe”.
“What we have seen for the past few weeks by way of
abductions, detentions, illegal and unlawful arrests, the increase in abuses of
citizens, abuse of our journalists, abuse of our lawyers and generally all the
citizens in the country, it is an escalation of the problems that have been
there, which are essentially a problem of governance, a problem of legitimacy,
around the disputed elections in 2018,” he said.
“The legitimacy crisis is what is showing all these.
“This is basically an indication of a fragile state, of a
banana republic where citizens have been relegated.
“So, we are seeing that the democratic space has been
eroded; citizens are not being allowed to freely express themselves in terms of
the constitution of our country.”
Chamisa last week visited incarcerated journalist Hopewell
Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume, who were arrested last
month ahead of the July 31 protests.
The duo was denied bail by a Harare magistrate and on
Friday High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi threw out their appeals.
“What you have seen is the attack against journalists,
symbolised by Hopewell, an attack on lawyers, an attack against churches and an
attack of the leadership of the opposition particularly the MDC Alliance
Members of Parliament being incarcerated,” Chamisa said.
“As we speak right now, we have MPs, members of the
leadership who are on the run, who are on the wanted list by the police not for
any crime, but just for being targeted for belonging to the MDC.
“Nobody can breathe in Zimbabwe including journalists,
professionals and the church.
“So, when I met Hopewell and Ngarivhume in prison, they
indicated they were determined and they want the solidarity of all of us to
make sure we express ourselves.
“Going forward, we have to be strong, to be committed and
provide leadership in an appropriate manner, so we are ready to provide that
leadership so that we are able to express ourselves peacefully.”
The government denies accusations that it is targeting
government critics for persecution. Standard
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