by Innocent Mujeri
More opposition parties have continued to pour cold water on the planned #31July2020 illegal demonstration stating that they don’t want to be entangled in politics of vengeance being perpetrated by Nelson Chamisa, Jacob Ngarivhume and Godfrey Tsenengamu.
Yesterday, ZAPU joined the MDC-T, Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) and Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD), in denouncing the planned #31July2020 demonstrations.
Speaking to this publication yesterday, the spokesperson of ZAPU, Iphithule Maphosa said the party had resolved to distance itself from the illegal demonstrations as they are meant to satisfy personal egos of some politicians.
“As a party we have resolved that we will not participate in the planned #31July2020 demonstration. We were not consulted and we can not be seen participating in an event whose objective has not been disclosed and made clear to us. We have nothing against those who want to demonstrate but as ZAPU we cannot be used to sanitise an illegal event. We believe in politics of tolerance not confrontational politics,” said Maphosa.
Maphosa added that the common thing among the organisers of the demonstration is that they all have a vendetta against ZANU PF.
He said the demonstration is not about corruption as being hyped by the organisers, but it’s a veiled ploy to unconstitutionally dethrone the Government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“Look at the demo organisers, they all have a vendetta against ZANU PF. Chamisa and Ngarivhume have not forgiven (President) Mnangagwa for defeating them during 2018 elections. On the other hand, Tsenengamu has not forgiven ZANU PF for expelling him from the party, hence they want to use the demonstrations to settle personal scores,” added Maphosa.
Political analyst, Kundayi Masekesa said the selection of the intended day for the demonstration July 31 is not random, but significant in that it is on the second anniversary of President Mnangagwa’s 2018 electoral victory, feeding into the opposition’s delegitimasation agenda.
“31 July is just a day to commemorate the second anniversary of President Mnangagwa’s emphatic electoral win in 2018. Those who think that July 31 will be a day to cause chaos in the country through illegal demonstrations are extremely wrong,” said Masekesa.
Masekesa further said its baffling for someone to demonstrate against corruption at a time President Mnangagwa is pursuing a no “sacred cows” approach in fighting the scourge of corruption.
“President Mnangagwa has put in place measures to fight corruption. We have seen the arrest of cabinet ministers and other senior Government officials because of corruption. The President has shown that there are no sacred cows when it comes to dealing with corruption. It then baffles one’s mind to see some political nonentities planning to demonstrate against corruption which, the President is fighting day and night,” added Masekesa.
The MDC-T, which is the major opposition party in the country has also urged Zimbabweans to shun the planned demonstrations as they are a mere attention seeking manoeuvres meant to cause alarm and despondency, at a time the nation was seized with rising cases of COVID-19.
