Opposition MDC-T is mulling peaceful demonstrations against the country’s deteriorating social and economic situation, party president Douglas Mwonzora has disclosed.
Mwonzora addressed journalists at the party headquarters Harvest House in Harare Friday afternoon.
“We are displeased by the deteriorating social and economic situation in this country, the endemic poverty there, and the insensitivity of government. While we are pursuing dialogue, we are also looking at other methods of putting pressure on the Government, including peaceful demonstrations. You may hear us calling for peaceful mass protests against the insensitivity of Government; the aim of the peaceful protests is not regime change. The aim is to push Government into positive action,” said Mwonzora.
Asked whether the party supports proposed protests over the deteriorating economic situation on Monday, the opposition leader said the demonstrations are reasonable, and the party supports them.
“Zinasu and their colleagues who have called for mass protests next week are Zimbabwean people protected in the Constitution. The Constitution that we wrote and were part of gives Zimbabweans the right to peacefully protest to put pressure on the government; as long as people are Zimbabweans and as long as they have issues, they have a right to protest.
“The reason for their demonstration is the deterioration in the economic situation, one cannot say that cause is unreasonable, it is reasonable. We support the right of every Zimbabwean to exercise their constitutional right, including the right to demonstrate in order to force the Government as I say into positive action,” he said.
The country is going through a worst economic period that has seen prices of essential commodities increasing and creating a transport crisis that the Government is failing to contain.
