HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has cautioned President Robert Mugabe to stop making speeches and statements that incite political violence.

Tsvangirai made the statement yesterday at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare during the burial of Nyarai Makone, 31, daughter of minister of Home Affairs Theresa Makone and Ian, the PM’s chief secretary.

Nyarai committed suicide on Saturday morning after a long battle with clinical depression for the past eight years.

She was found hanging in her room by family employees at the Makone homestead in Domboshawa. She penned a suicide note to her parents bidding them farewell, which was read out at the funeral.

The Makones had to cut short a trip to Kenya where they had accompanied Tsvangirai for Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic convention. They rushed back home on Saturday night.

The funeral turned into a mini-rally as most of the mourners were MDC supporters who braved the heavy afternoon rains.

In the morning church service, Father Gwene of Roman Catholic Hatcliffe parish led the mass service at Makone homestead in Chiroodza village, Domboshawa.

The funeral was attended by hundreds of Roman Catholic parishioners.

Nelson Chamisa, Thokozani Khupe, Solomon Madzore and Buda Masara are among the MDC officials that spoke at the funeral, regretting the young life snuffed out, all appealed for peace and harmony in the
impending elections next year.

A chaplain general of Nyaradzo Funeral Services, Reverend Kamupira blamed both Zanu PF and MDC leaders for incidences of political violence in his graveside speech.

 Tsvangirai said political leaders should not be at the forefront of inciting political violence.

“I heard Mugabe said he is going to fight like a wounded lion while speaking at his Gweru congress over the weekend.

“The people of Zimbabwe know what they want when voting. They will determine at the right time, the person they want to be their leader and not through political violence,” said Tsvangirai.

“I am now drinking tea with Mugabe but I know the problem is that some of our politicians want to start the spirit of violence which is not necessary at all.

“As leaders preparing for elections, we must be preaching peace to our supporters,” he added.