by signing a Peace Pledge coordinated by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) on 26th of June 2018. Although the Peace Pledge and its conveners did not have any compliance or enforcing mechanism, it fused the conscience of all contesting political parties with the dialect of peace, tolerance and ―no to violence mentality. In a country whose elections have always been characterised by violence, the Peace Pledge was historic in making political parties commit and converge to positive peace in the election period. Promises made by the Peace Pledge signatories were therefore exciting and noteworthy. The ZANU PF, and as the party in leadership ―pledged government's commitment to do all to ensure elections are peaceful and devoid of victimisation, harassment and intimidation and allow our citizens to vote for a political party of their choice. You are free to do whatever political activity you want to do without fear of victimisation. The People Rainbow Coalition (PRC), ―… expresses our belief in peace, in fair play, in fair campaigning and in respect for the rights of votersǁ. For the Republican Party of Zimbabwe (RPZ), ―any political leaders who presides over an organization which encourages violent behaviour risks rejection by the generality of the electorate and as RPZ, we are here to show our support for peaceǁ. The National Patriotic front (NPF), ―… believe in peace … unity and… subscribe to everything that has been read out in the peace pledgeǁ. For the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the Peace Pledge could not have come at the right time because ―for a long time our politics was enmeshed in toxic issues of hate, intimidation, violence, corruption and subterfuge. We hope this signing ceremony brings a new era 6 and a new politics to our country. 3.2.2. Minimum Use of Oppressive Legislation There was a minimum use of oppressive legislation such as Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and Public Order and Security Act (POSA). Political parties were allowed to mobilise voters and communicate with them in all the country's ten provinces. But it remains though that AIPPA and POSA undermine freedom of association and access to information. In their 2007 Pastoral Letter: God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference notes some of the inhibiting legislations like POSA and AIPPA have their roots in colonial society: …some of the unjust and oppressive security laws of the Rhodesian State have been repealed; in fact, they have been reinforced by even more repressive legislation, the Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, in particular. It almost appears as though someone sat down with the Declaration of Human Rights and deliberately scrubbed out 7 each in turn. But why were such laws enacted? Because soon after Independence, the power and wealth of the tiny white Rhodesian elite was appropriated by an equally exclusive black elite, some of whom have governed the country for the past 27 years through political patronage. Black Zimbabweans today fight for the same basic rights they fought for during the liberation struggle. It is the same conflict between those who possess power and wealth in abundance, and those who do not; between those who are determined to maintain their privileges of power and wealth at any cost, even at the cost of bloodshed, and those who demand their democratic rights and a share in the fruits of independence; between those who continue to benefit from the present system of inequality and injustice, because it favours them and enables them to maintain an exceptionally high standard of living, and those who go to bed hungry at night and wake up in the morning to another day without work and without income; between those who only know the language of violence and intimidation, and those who feel they have nothing more to lose because their Constitutional rights have been abrogated and their votes rigged. 6 Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace Situation Report – May – June 2018. Also see VOA Zimbabwe on https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwe-s-political-parties-signpeace-pledge-for-july-polls/4455451.html accessed 8 August 2018; Daily News on https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2018/06/30/four-more-sign-peace-pledge Accessed 8 August 2018 7 God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed: Pastoral Letter by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference on the Current Crisis of our Country: Holy Thursday, 5 April 2007 quoted in CCJPZ (2013): Catholic Observer: CCJPZ Election Observation Report for 2013 Harmonized Elections' Report, CCJPZ Harare. Pages 10-11 5