The former ruling party has a history of publicly denouncing violence while behind closed doors urging its supporters to decimate their political rivals.
The rallies, a first of a kind in the country’s political landscape, are set to be addressed by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube, leaders of MDC-T and MDC respectively.
But commentators said the peace rallies, a brainchild of Zanu PF, will give Mugabe, whose rallies have of late been attended by fewer people, an opportunity to address huge gatherings ahead of elections planned for this year or 2013.
The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has said Zimbabwe cannot hold free and fair elections without necessary reforms, a development which, analysts said, flies in the face of Mugabe’s assertion that polls will be held this year.
With the snail’s pace at which negotiations are going, reforms may take another year or more, meaning polls might not be held this year.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said his party needed to see some key issues addressed before committing itself to the peace rallies.
The rallies will, said analysts, achieve nothing, just like the organ on national healing, reconciliation and integration, which failed due to the leaders’ lack of political will to heal wounds of past atrocities.
Political analyst Lovemore Madhuku said that the proposed joint rallies were not the panacea to ending political violence in the country.
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“Political violence is not in any way addressed by joint rallies,” said Madhuku. “It does not help when you speak about ending violence at political rallies but privately you are encouraging people to go for violence. Violence is not organised publicly, it is organised privately.”
In November last year, the three leaders together with other stakeholders held an indaba on political violence but barely a week later a Zanu PF militia group, Chipangano, started beating up suspected MDC-T supporters. They ignored an appeal from Mugabe to end violence as they besieged market stalls at a shopping complex in Harare, demanding the eviction of all vendors perceived to belong to MDC-T.
Almost during the same time, Zanu PF chairman Simon Khaya Moyo was quoted urging his party supporters to retaliate whenever they are provoked, a comment which does not bode well with the promotion of peace and co-existence.
MDC-T has said at least 200 of its supporters were killed by Zanu PF militia and state security agents during the 2008 violent elections. Most of the perpetrators, though known, have not been brought to justice.
Political analyst Charles Mangongera said ending violence requires political will that lacks in the parties in the inclusive government. He said police needed to operate in an impartial manner if political violence is to be eradicated.
“What’s needed is the political will to stop violence. Police should properly do their work and arrest all perpetrators of violence,” said Mangongera. “In fact, the justice delivery system should work against the perpetrators.”
In July last year, Zanu PF supporters went on the rampage disrupting the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill hearings at Parliament building where some journalists were assaulted. After the skirmishes, Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa said his party would defend their supporters for their actions.
On the other hand, Mangongera views the joint rallies as positive in the sense that it showed political leaders recognised that political violence was pervasive in the country and needed to be addressed.
Ernest Mudzengi, another political analyst, who also believes political violence can only be addressed if there is political will among the leaders said, “It needs not end at conducting joint rallies alone.”
“There is need for other processes to complement these joint rallies. These other processes must be driven by political will on the part of the key political players. Yes, it’s a good step, but it must be complemented by political will on the part of the party leaders.”
Bulawayo-based political commentator, Goodwill Phiri said while it is a noble move, rallies on their own would not guarantee peace.“The rallies without critical security reforms are just a hollow publicity stunt by the three principals,” said Phiri.
“At this moment Zimbabwe does not need rallies but concrete security reforms and full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).”
Zapu spokesperson Methuseli Moyo laughed off the proposed rallies saying MDC formations would be foolish to participate in such rallies as they will be further entrapping themselves. “Firstly, those three parties want to create a false impression to the electorate that they are the only political parties in Zimbabwe. They are scared of inroads made by Zapu hence they want to monopolise the political space” said Moyo.
“I find it very foolish for both MDCs to want to participate in such rallies. I foresee a situation whereby Mugabe would address first and when it’s the turn of Ncube and Tsvangirai, Zanu PF would provoke violence to create the impression that MDCs’ supporters are violent.”
