Thousands march, ex-PM speaks via phone

Tsvangirai had an opportunity to briefly address the supporters through a cellphone connected to the Public Address (PA) system.

He told the crowd that he was recovering well after he was briefly admitted at a South African hospital recently.

“I will join you soon. I am recovering well, I am with you in the struggle,” said Tsvangirai amid a thunderous applause from the massive crowd.

Business was brought to a standstill in the eastern border town as thousands marched against bad governance and corruption.

The march followed the MDC-T’s two successful demonstrations in Harare and Bulawayo recently.

Led by party national executive members who included Vice President Thokozani Khupe, national coordinator Douglas Mwonzora, national spokesperson Obert Gutu and Theresa Makone, crowds marched from Sakubva Beit hall to Meikles Park.

Even business at the government complex, which houses the offices of the Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene and Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), was brought to a halt as civil servants followed proceedings from their office windows.

Despite heavy police presence with water cannons, the march went without any incident of violence.

Addressing the crowd, Khupe said Zimbabwe has virtually collapsed into a failed State and it was high time Zimbabweans stood up to rebuild their country and economy so as to restore the lost dignity.

“Zimbabwe used to be the jewel of Africa. Zimbabwe used to be the bread basket of Africa. The sad reality is that Zimbabwe is now a basket case with more than 85 percent of the population living in abject poverty, misery and destitution. Today, the too obviously Zanu PF induced poverty is the greatest threat to the wellbeing of the people,” said Khupe.

The former deputy Prime Minister said it was sad that most Zimbabweans were living on less than $1 per day and yet the country is endowed with natural resources such as diamonds, gold and platinum. She said only a few privileged individuals were enjoying the fruits of the hard won independence.

“People of this country deserve to be governed by a legitimate, responsible, accountable and transparent government that will assume political power through free, fair and credible elections.

“The Zanu PF regime is essentially an illegitimate regime after its notorious rigging of the July 31 2013 election. It is a regime that has neither the political nor moral authority to remain in power a day longer,” said Khupe.

She said time had come for Zimbabweans to stand up and fight to the last drop of their blood, sweat and tears because they have suffered enough.

“We are tired of experiments on people’s lives. Zimbabwe has gone down; all the while government has embarked on numerous experiments through ESAP, Land Reform and Bearers Cheques. Now the proposed experiment with Bond notes should not be allowed to see the light of the day because it will take us back to the recent painful history all over again,” said Khupe.

She said MDC-T was going to continue with the demonstrations until people had political and economic freedom, adding that “political freedom without economic freedom is meaningless”.

Khuphe said Zanu PF must explain to the public how as much as $15 billion from diamonds proceeds went missing and why previously viable companies closed down.

“Currently, the Zanu PF government talks about the shortage of cash and yet it is silent on what caused that shortage. They are also silent on the shortage of employment whereas they promised 2, 2 million jobs.

“The party is silent on the shortage of medicines in hospitals. Zanu PF is silent on the shortage of literally everything in our society. Corruption is the only game in town for Zanu PF,” said Khupe.

MDC-T national spokesperson, Obert Gutu, said the Manicaland demonstration was a resounding success.

“The sheer number of people who participated in this demonstration just goes to prove that Zimbabwean are now completely fed up with the Zanu PF regime misrule, misgovenance and corruption,” said Gutu.

He added that the Zanu PF regime’s days were now numbered.

“The regime is living on borrowed time,” said Gutu.