In a clear defiance to Zanu PF’s press statement issued yesterday, with an understanding of people’s guaranteed constitutional rights to protest, particularly section 59, opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has vowed to roll national protests in a bid to secure the livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe amidst economic collapse with prices of basic commodities skyrocketing beyond the reach of the ordinary men.
In a scathing attack on MDC President Nelson Chamisa, Zanu PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo in his press statement described Chamisa’s May Day solidarity message to Zimbabwean workers as careless tantamount to cause mayhem and chaos in the country.
“The recent utterances attributed to the MDC Alliance leader- Nelson Chamisa at an occasion meant to celebrate the Workers’ Day which has received massive coverage on private media where he announced his party’s intentions to cause mayhem and anarchy in the country through engaging in senseless demonstrations is an affront to the peace and tranquility prevailing in the country,” Moyo said.
In response, the MDC has called Khaya Moyo to order charging that the former information minister is miles away from understanding the constitutional guaranteed rights to demonstrate and that he wholly misunderstood Chamisa’s message he made at Dzivarasekwa Stadium a couple of days ago.
“Firstly, Zanu PF’s communication misses the point totally. A demonstration cannot be characterized as mayhem and anarchy. It’s a Constitutionally guaranteed right, voted for by millions of Zimbabweans who knew that there will be failures like Mnangagwa and Zanu PF, who therefore needed a mechanism to be held accountable.
“Demonstrations will go on regardless of Zanu PF feelings.
“The threats about some intelligence report do not concern us as we are not criminals but the biggest political party and voice of reason in Zimbabwe. For people who miss the point even on the definition of peace, they must comment on Zanu PF cell groups. Zanu PF is the least qualified to be talking about President Chamisa’s remarks,” party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said.
Writing on his micro-blog Twitter Friday morning, Chamisa said his statement was misunderstood as his intentions are not meant to bring the country into chaos but rather to a genuine advice to the pricking issues affecting the generality of Zimbabwean people.
“How is giving kind advice and wise counsel on the need to resolve people’s ‘bread and butter’ survival issues through genuine and credible dialogue a careless gesture? What is carelessness is failing to take caution when one is being given fair advice on how to save a country!” he wrote.
Apart from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) mid-January stay away protests that ultimately left the country in flames, the MDC led two peaceful demonstrations in the run up to the July 2018 elections calling for electoral reforms that the electoral mother body; Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) did not bow to.
Chamisa has however, reiterated that protests over the deterioration of people’s livelihoods will be peaceful in recognition of the constitutional stipulated guidelines.
