THE opposition MDC yesterday continued with its protests
against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy and snubbed the 2020 national
budget presentation over his presence in Parliament.
All the MDC MPs were in no-show during Finance minister
Mthuli Ncube’s budget presentation, with party national chairperson Tabitha
Khumalo telling NewsDay that they were all attending funerals of two party
cadres who perished in an accident.
“All roads are leading to Chivhu now after burying our hero
in Marondera. We have no control over the funeral programmes and our heroes
deserve a befitting send-off,” she said.
“There is no way we can cancel the funeral over Parliament.
We are burying our heroes.”
Speaking during the burial of Marondera MDC branch
chairperson, Paul Chikuni, at Paradise Cemetery, the opposition party’s deputy
national organising secretary Sibusisiwe Masara said:
“We are here to bury our own brave cadres like Chikuni. We
are not bothered about attending today’s budget meeting at Parliament. Why do
we attend a budget when we know there is no money?
We are not going to attend that meeting.” Close to 40 top MDC leaders, including legislators and
senators led by the party acting president Lynette Karenyi-Kore, attended the
burial.
Chikuni (34) died on Sunday night in a car accident in Ruwa
while driving from an aborted Mabvuku rally. The rally was banned at the last minute. Another activist, Admire Takawira, also died, while Moore
Maradza escaped unscathed.
MDC secretary-general Chalton Hwende said his party’s MPs
participated in the budget processes and would also take part in the debate
process despite a no-show in Parliament.
“Our MPs have already participated fully in the budget
process. We are now waiting for the debate in Parliament. Today’s budget
presentation does not change anything. Attending and following on TV is exactly
the same. No debate is allowed or conducted today. It’s all optics for ED,” he
said on micro blogging site, Twitter.
Before and during the budget presentation, police and the
military sealed off the Africa Unity Square, where Zanu PF supporters sang and
chanted revolutionary slogans for the better of the day.
There were running battles with police arresting some
youths suspected to be MDC supporters.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda threatened to act on
MDC MPs for boycotting Parliament, with Norton MP Temba Mliswa calling for
authorities to whip the opposition legislators for their actions.
Ironically, the opposition MPs participated in the budget
consultative meetings, including the controversial Victoria Falls jamboree
which saw them pocketing huge amounts of money ahead of today’s presentation.
Ncube described the budget as people-centred and introduced
a raft of measures that seemed to respond to the prevailing economic crisis.
Newsday
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