Zanu-PF and the opposition movements are tangled in a war of words regarding the 31 July demonstrations as both disagree on nature and intended outcome of the action.
The demonstration is being led by Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader, Jacob Ngarivhume who contested in the 2018 elections under the MDC Alliance banner against the President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime and has been endorse by other opposition leaders, including Nelson Chamisa.
Ngarivhume told 263Chat early this week that the demonstration will be peaceful but Zanu-PF and government disagree with him.
“The biggest way to protect the people on the 31st of July is that they will come in their millions, and if they come in their number, no one will beat anybody.
“We are also engaging the police and notifying them. We are also reaching out to the military to say this demonstration in not against the military or police but it is against corruption, which is affecting the people of Zimbabwe,” said Ngarivhume.
He added that the call against corruption was also intensified by Zimbabwe National Army General, Valerio Sibanda, hence it’s a clarion call on everyone.
The intended demonstration comes at a time when the country is still under a theoretical lockdown despite all services and normal life having resumed.
Despite the continued assurances by the opposition that the demonstration will be safe and nonviolent, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe warned the opposition movements that they will be arrested should they break the lockdown regulations
“We are observing Covid-19 regulations and if anyone breaks the law they will be arrested because we are still under lockdown. Life is more important than everything else, life is more critical than anything that one can think of.
“The lockdown is to ensure that we minimise the spread of the virus, we need a collective effort from everyone, including those in the opposition because Covid-19 does not discriminate. We are aware of where the funding for the demonstrations is coming from and we will make sure that they will be exposed,” said Minister Kazembe
Zanu PF Secretary for Commissariat Victor Matemadanda said the police should arrest “elements who are determined to effect illegal regime change”
“There is a competition here between the purported human rights and the observance of the rule of law. This stage now, the so-called human rights groups are encouraging the citizenry to break the law and I think also Zimbabweans should know that the supporters of those that are funding these demonstrations are worried by why Covid-19 has not killed people in Zimbabwe,” Matemadanda warned.
