SIMBA RUSHWAYA
The MDC Alliance will go ahead with the “inauguration” of its leader, Nelson Chamisa, as the people’s president, once the government clears them to hold the event including anniversary celebrations, which were aborted earlier this month due to the cholera outbreak.
Chamisa’s spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda confirmed they will go ahead and “inaugurate” his boss in spite of further communication from the Zimbabwe Republic Police that the ban on gatherings still stands.
In a letter to MDC Alliance dated September 25, 2018, the ZRP rejects the party’s notification to hold its 19th anniversary at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare this Saturday, advising that the ban on public gatherings following the outbreak of the cholera epidemic still stands.
“In the interests of public safety and the total containment of the cholera epidemic we direct that the intended celebrations be postponed until the epidemic is declared over.”
Sibanda said they would wait until the outbreak had been contained.
“We are going ahead. Once the cholera outbreak has been combated we want to find out which excuse the government will cite in blocking our celebrations and inauguration of the people’s president. We are geared for the celebrations,” he said.
The development comes at a time when President Emmerson Mnangagwa told reporters in New York that he would amend the Constitution to accommodate Chamisa in parliament and have perks as the leader of the opposition.
However, Chamisa poured cold water on the suggestion on his Twitter account.
“There’s no offer from Mnangagwa and no dialogue or contact with him. Our struggle is by and for you the people. Your will and well-being come first. My role in the struggle is not about perks, position, title or entitlement but to fight for you,” he said. “This issue will not just disappear,” he vowed.
Chamisa insists that he won the presidential election and accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of manipulating the outcome in favour of Mnangagwa.
Last month, the Constitutional Court bench unanimously upheld Mnangagwa’s victory and dismissed with costs Chamisa’s application for lack of evidence.
