The country’s main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has maintained that it will not be part of the anti-sanctions march scheduled, for October 25.
This comes at a time when the government has since declared Friday a public holiday to mark the Southern African Development Community (SADC) solidarity day against Western sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The regional bloc at its recent summit in Tanzania, set aside October 25, a day for campaigning for the lifting of the Zimbabwean sanctions, which SADC has said they were affecting the whole region.
The 16-member SADC countries are expected to hold activities to campaign for the lifting of the embargo.
The country’s 10 provinces in solidarity with SADC are also set to hold activities as well to campaign for the same.
The main event to be attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and SADC representatives is penciled for the giant National Sports Stadium in Harare.
But MDC Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Swithern Chirowodza, told CITE, their party would not be part of the march, which he described as “irrelevant cheap propaganda.”
“The MDC is clearly not part of the charade; the march is irrelevant,” he said.
“Those who imposed the sanctions have made their position clear many times. They say that once the Junta recants murder, human rights abuses and profligacy, sanctions will be removed.”
He added that he therefore did not foresee the West paying attention to SADC in as far as the removal of sanctions is concerned.
“The only sanctions worth marching for are the high prices, cash shortages, abductions of citizens, retention of draconian laws such as POSA, MOPA and AIPPA, police brutality and exposure of citizens to brutal Rhodesian-policing methods among other sanctions that Mnangagwa has imposed on Zimbabweans,” said Chirowodza.
He said the government’s declaration of Friday a public holiday was a waste of human resources.
“It’s inconsiderate considering that children were writing exams on the day. This forces teachers to work during weekends all for the sake of political expediency,” he bemoaned.
“Sadly it seems some SADC countries are buying this cheap propaganda.”
Meanwhile, police have banned the opposition party’s demonstration against government’s failure to address economic challenges, which had been planned for a day before the anti-sanctions march.
