The current state of Zimbabwean politics today is unacceptable for 21st Century political interactive standards. The culture of political intolerance is alarmingly high and cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged because it harms national unity and threatens the nurturing of democracy and political co-existence.

ZANU PF has created a situation whereby only those who support the ruling party are treated as full and equal citizens of Zimbabwe. Political opponents and dissenting voices are violently suppressed and other political parties find it difficult to freely operate without fear of reprisals. Those who perpetrate violence in the name of ZANU PF have never been dealt with convincingly and this can be interpreted as an acknowledgement by the ruling party that violence against political opponents is acceptable.

Because of that kind of situation the people of Zimbabwe today find it extremely difficult to constructively engage each other from different political standpoints. The enmity that currently exists across the political divides is a dangerous threat to national unity and development. It is bad for democracy and bad for national peace and co-existence. Politicians and government leaders have a duty to keep the nation united so as to breed a tolerant and receptive society that is built on the basis of diverse views on national issues.

The ZPDP is ushering in a new approach to national politics and we will be sending a very clear message across the country that as Zimbabweans, we need each other and therefore we need to work for, and with, each other. Our party will not allow any further fragmentation of our people along political lines. We will ensure that the people of Zimbabwe are allowed the freedom to choose the party of their choice without any fear of retribution.

The ZPDP will ensure that those who enlist as members of our party will also enjoy the freedom within the party rules and regulations of the party, to freely show their disquiet towards bad practices without any fear of victimisation. Our party will also ensure that, by the same token, no one within its ranks will commit an act of violence either in the name of the party or in the name of the leadership of the party. We will not allow any individual party leaders or members to become bigger than the party or the nation.

The ZPDP decries any form of political violence whether this is cross party violence or intra-party violence because violence is violence, regardless of the source. The incidence of intraparty violence in Zimbabwe is reaching alarming proportions and political leaders who purport to champion democracy must be seen to guard against violent politics and to equivocally condemn such violent practice whenever it rears its ugly head. We will guard against any form of political violence, whether unto our party, our members or by our members. We will practice clean and peaceful politics within our ranks, and we shall expect the same from our political opponents.