HARARE (AFP) – Zimbabwe's ruling political parties on Saturday condemned the recent outbreak of political violence that has been blamed on President Robert Mugabe's youth militia.
In the past two weeks, violent clashes erupted between the supporters of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), as the country braces for elections earmarked for this year.
"We believe as political parties we have not done enough in the past to denounce and condemn violence," said a joint statement signed by provincial leaders of both parties in Harare.
"We believe it is within our power to stop the violence which poses a threat to the lives of our people. Today it is violence, tomorrow it could be death," said the statement.
The MDC has blamed ZANU-PF youth supporters for fuelling the violence, mainly in the capital Harare.
Zimbabwe's 2008 presidential poll was marked by widespread political violence which prompted Tsvangirai to withdraw from the race, leaving Mugabe to win the vote unchallenged.
In 2009, the two leaders formed a power sharing government, which has been crippled by power struggles and infighting.
Mugabe who has led Zimbabwe since 1980, called for new elections to be held this year, saying the tense power-sharing government was no longer working.
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