The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has mobilised its supporters to
take to the streets on Thursday to demonstrate against the worsening economic
situation, which has seen prices of all goods and services skyrocket as the
surrogate currency – bond note – continues to depreciate in value.
Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume confirmed the protests date
and said they had since notified the police.
“Indeed, our demonstration is coming this Thursday. The
national council endorsed it, but the idea came from the people during our
consultations from across the country,” Mafume said.
“We have notified the police, and we don’t expect them to
go against the Constitution. Our section 59 is very clear as regards our rights
to demonstrate, and our duty is simply to notify the police, which we have
done. They were notified last week,” he said.
He said the idea of taking to the streets came from the
people, who are not happy with the deteriorating socio-economic situation in
the country.
The economy has been on a downward spiral since the July 30
polls, controversially won by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and rejected by
Chamisa as a “farce”.
“Zimbabweans are so over-taxed. We are having this burden
of additional 2% taxation; medicines are now being charged using US$. Duty of
some items, including motor vehicles, are paid in US$ yet the bulk of the
people get their earnings in RTGS,” Mafume said.
“Pensions are being eroded and the budget statement just
poured salt on the wounds of struggling Zimbabweans.”
In October, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube introduced a 2%
transactional tax on electronic money transfers, and the separation of RTGS
accounts from nostro foreign currency accounts, measures which have been blamed
for triggering economic chaos in the country.
Mafume said it was illogical to peg traffic offenses at
$700, an amount far above the general earnings of the majority.
He also said they will be pressing on the need for
political reforms during the Thursday demonstrations.
The demonstrations would start in Harare, but would be
rolled across the country.
“A demonstration is an inalienable right. Doing a
legitimate thing can never be a cause of illegality, and we will go ahead with
the demonstration,” Mafume said. Newsday
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