Another MDC-T demo on the horizon

THE opposition MDC-T has said it is organising a massive demonstration against government for its failure to tame Bulawayo's de-industrialisation tide, which has rendered many residents jobless.

The party's acting provincial spokesperson, Felix Magalela Sibanda said company closures and job losses in Bulawayo had become an issue of major concern, hence, their plan to demonstrate.

"The provincial executive, structures and Bulawayo citizenry are apprehensive and surviving in despondency due to the high level of poverty. The generality of the population, in Bulawayo in particular and the country in general, are living on or less than a dollar a day," he said.

"There is massive poverty due to myriad causes such as unemployment, which is around 95% and scarcity of money. Economic survival is demanding the end to various social ills, which are causing havoc in the society.

"There are serious consequences of these economic and social hardships. Some are now suffering from stress-related diseases."

Sibanda said, as a result, the youth were resorting to drugs, sex work, prostitution, gangsterism, theft and robbery.

"As a concerned people's project, MDC-T is calling for all Bulawayo stakeholders to unite and resolve that Zanu PF's administration has destroyed the once jewel of Africa as once said by the late and former President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere to President Robert Mugabe on the eve of Independence in 1980," he said.

"We are demanding that Bulawayo should be in proper administrative power for the betterment of citizens regardless of one's political affiliation and religion.

"To achieve the above, all must register to vote and speak through votes in 2018 elections. We urge all and sundry to take this opportunity to remove Mugabe regime once and for all."

Sibanda called on the Zanu PF government to swallow its pride and join the South African common monetary authority as part of measures to address the cash shortages.