Politically-motivated violence and human rights violations declined in July from June levels, but political tensions remain high in many of the country's provinces, the Zimbabwe Peace Project has said in its latest monthly report.
The group reported 910 incidents of seemingly politically-inspired human rights violations in July compared with 1,014 in June.
But the organization noted that “political tensions and intolerance have remained high across the country.” Midlands province saw the most violations followed by Manicaland, Mashonaland East and then Masvingo province.
President Robert Mugabe recently issued a call for peace and tolerance in the country, joining Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the leader of the smaller Movement for Democratic Change formation, Industry Minister Welshman Ncube.
ZANU-PF Parliamentary Whip Joram Gumbo told VOA reporter Ntungamili Nkomo that the nation’s leaders should continue to denounce violence.
"The discussions that we hold even in parliament tend to make us realize that as a people, as a nation, we need each other and we need to leave peacefully," Gumbo said.
Deputy Spokesperson Thabitha Khumalo of the Tsvangirai MDC concurred, saying all of the country's political parties must cooperate to end violence and intimidation.
