by Tawanda Musariri

President Emmerson Mnangagwa today extinguished flames over the question as to why the Zimbabwe National Army was deployed to quell disturbances that rocked Harare on 1 August.

Addressing both winning and losing candidates in the just ended harmonised elections at Zanu PF Headquarters this morning, the President said, "Following the disturbances that rocked Harare, caused by the MDC Alliance in the wake of the harmonised elections, Government was left with no option but to deploy the Army to manage the situation because the police had very thin manpower because the majority of them had been deployed countrywide for election related purposes."

The President's explanation puts to rest the disquiet that had developed over the deployment of the army on the fateful day that saw the loss of life.

The opposition MDC Alliance started the demonstration seeking to pressure the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission into releasing results of the presidential vote before the constitution backed window had lapsed.

According to the Electoral Law, ZEC has up to five days within which to announce results of any election.

The MDC Alliance torched the Harare demo only two days after the conclusion of the election on 30 July.

Prior to the election, the MDC Alliance president, Nelson Chamisa was on record saying that his party would not accept any result that did not give his party a win.

The looting, burning and stoning spree was designed as a follow up to their earlier utterances that they would not accept a loss. Following up to this, the party is challenging the electoral outcome at both parliamentary and presidential vote.

In the election, Zanu PF won 145 of the 210 constituencies, which is  five seats more than majority, while President Mnangagwa won 50.8% of the vote against  Chamisa's 45%.

While the MDC continued with its rant against ZEC, Zanu PF waited patiently for the outcome of the election.

President Mnangagwa expressed his regrets over the loss of life on the streets and implored every Zimbabwean to exercise restraint and responsibility as a contribution towards desired peace. He expressed his surprise over the eruption of violence right on the heels of a remarkably peaceful election.

President Mnangagwa led a crusade of peace which was followed by the signing of a peace pledge by contesting parties in the election. The MDC behaviour came as a direct opposite to the letter and spirit of the peace pledge.