MDC bemoans socio-economic woes, calls for fresh polls

“The Alternative (shadow) Cabinet expressed serious concerns over the people’s plight due to the liquidity crunch, job losses and retrenchments, closing down of companies, the national budget that does not solve the country’s problems and the over one million students who failed to go to school this week,” read the statement.

Zimbabwe started 2014 on a gloomy note, amid reports that company closures were forcing an average of 300 workers out of employment per week, while money circulation is severely limited.

The education ministry has admitted that about a million orphans and vulnerable children might fail to enrol in schools nationwide as donors have withdrawn support, while the Un World Food Programme this week said it had cut rations to about a million hungry Zimbabweans also due to poor funding.

“The Alternative Cabinet is of the view that the country should come up with a conducive and attractive environment for investment and industrialization,” said Chamisa, against concerns that the indigenisation policy forcing foreign companies to cede shares to locals is driving investment away.

Chamisa said the shadow cabinet also discussed deteriorating social service delivery at hospitals where there is an acute shortage of drugs, in addition to poor food import levels to stave off current hunger.

The cabinet also bemoaned the “desperate situation of our war veterans, the elderly and those living with disabilities who are not getting welfare support and assistance from government”.

“The only way forward for the country is to return to legitimacy through the holding of a free and fair election underpinned by reforms so that Zimbabweans can have a proper government which has the capacity to respond to national needs,” said Chamisa.

MDC-T was beaten by Zanu (PF) in last year’s July 31 elections, but accused President Robert Mugabe’s party of massive rigging.