APA-Harare  Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday called for unity and political tolerance amid reports of resurgence in violence in the countryside.

Tsvangirai is on tour of Zimbabwe’s 10 administrative provinces to explain his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party’s position on a shaky coalition government formed with President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF in February 2009.

He condemned incidents of violence coming from some of the country’s rural areas and called for political maturity among supporters of both parties.

The Zimbabwean premier castigated officials who were distributing food assistance along party lines amid reports that thousands of hungry villagers were being denied food hampers because they belonged to one party or the other.

The tolerance call by Tsvangirai comes as Zimbabweans prepare for general elections next year following the completion of the ongoing constitution-drafting process.

There are however fears that the isolated reports of violence could escalate into nationwide clashes between ZANU PF and MDC supporters ahead of the polls.