HARARE - President Robert Mugabe holds the key to violence and peace in Zimbabwe, MDC deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma has said.

Mangoma was addressing families of 31 Glen View activists who are in remand prison for the murder of a policeman in May last year.

The families early this week gathered at the MDC headquarters to receive food hampers from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife Elizabeth. “Mugabe holds the key to violence and peace,” Mangoma, who is also Energy and Power Development minister, told the families.

“If he tells his people to stop violence they will obey.

“This was evidenced by the peace that prevailed at the just ended Copac second All-Stakeholders’ Conference that his word is law.

“There was no violence because Mugabe ordered them to peace. If he lets loose then you all know it will be mayhem.”

Mangoma claimed there was selective application of the law that is why the activists were being denied bail.

“Mugabe is cruel and shows this by incessant arrests and beatings under the pretext of maintaining order and applying the rule of law.

“But what kind of law separates these people accused of Petros Mutedza’s murder; while on the other hand a policeman accused of killing a gold panner in Shamva is out on bail?

“We have a colleague who was murdered in Mutoko but the killers are walking free.

“Mugabe’s message is simple, he is saying everybody else stay away from politics except on a Zanu PF ticket,” said Mangoma.

“Two weeks ago I was once again arrested; I told Mugabe that my father was a liberation fighter who was jailed together with him (Mugabe) by Ian Smith’s Rhodesian regime, and my mother suffered a lot.

“Now Mugabe is arresting me and my mother is suffering again under a black government. But we will continue to ask for Mugabe’s departure until this country is free,” he said.

Mangoma said the MDC has no policy of vengeance and would not punish anyone when it gains power because they abused them under Mugabe.

“Zanu PF is judging the MDC and Tsvangirai on the basis of how they treated us over the past 12 years.

“They are afraid that we will retaliate but I can tell you Tsvangirai is not a vindictive person and the MDC has no policy of vengeance,” he said.

Elizabeth Tsvangirai donated food hampers to families of the 31 imprisoned activists while the MDC this week disbursed $400 to each of the families for their upkeep and promised them Christmas hampers.