BY XOLISANI NCUBE
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF has issued a chilling warning to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) leadership over their threats to unleash demonstrations over the deteriorating economic situation.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said Chamisa and the ZCTU leadership’s utterances should not be tolerated because they could lead to anarchy and disorder.
“These careless statements are not taken lightly, especially coming from the pronouncements by Home Affairs and Culture Heritage minister Cain Mathema which disclosed the ulterior motives and intentions by these regime change agents who are bent on making the country ungovernable,” Khaya Moyo said.
During his address at the May Day celebrations organised by ZCTU on Wednesday, Chamisa and the labour leaders warned that poverty and the worsening economic crisis will push people onto the streets to demonstrate against Mnangagwa’s administration.
Chamisa said since time immemorial, protests by the labour unions were an early warning system to the incumbent government.
But Zanu PF said people should be patient with Mnangagwa’s administration as he had a correct prescription to the economic crisis facing the country.
“The law will indeed take its course on those found wanting in that regard. Zanu PF will not stand and watch innocent citizens being used for political expedience under its watch. The party also calls upon the nation to be patient as the government put its shoulder to the wheel as it tackles the economic quagmires of the day with a view of ushering in a better Zimbabwe during our lifetime and for our posterity,” Khaya Moyo said.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing endless challenges, largely driven by hikes in prices and closure of companies due to a collapsing economy.
The opposition has threatened to take to the streets like what happened in January when Mnangagwa announced hikes in fuel prices.
The three-day national stay-away turned violent after the State unleashed armed military personnel on civilians, resulting in the death of 20 people while hundreds others were arrested.
The opposition and labour accuse Mnangagwa’s government of being blanketed by corruption and has shown no clear agenda to revive the economy.
The ZCTU and MDC have all demanded that workers be paid in United States dollars because the local RTGS dollar-denominated salaries had been eroded by inflation and endless price hikes.
