News / National
MDC-T threatens to boycott Independence celebration
17 Apr 2012 at 06:57hrs | Views
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime MInister Morgan Tsvangirai is reportedly planning to boycott this year's 32nd Independence celebrations tomorrow as they differ with Zanu-PF on the theme for this year's celebrations of 'indigenisation and empowerment', claiming it promoted "a culture of looting."
The two rival MDC factions led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube are expected to attend official independence events on April 18 to be held at the National Sports Stadium.
This threat comes just after MDC-99 leader Job Sikhala urged Zimbabweans not to observe Independence Day as a protest against President Robert Mugabe.
Instead, Sikhala is urging Zimbabweans to "mourn the loss of our true independence" under 32 years of Mugabe's uninterrupted rule.
Sikhala is urging supporters to boycott the festivities, insisting that Zimbabwe is not independent under Mugabe's "tyrannical" rule.
Sikhala added that Mugabe has monopolised Independence Day to equate it to himself and his party to suit his own delusional agendas. Those who gate-crashed it, we have seen them being ridiculed last year.
"This day, or the so-called Independence, is a day of mourning, mourning the loss of our true independence and also the loss of our true heroes who died fighting for our freedom such as Josiah Tongogara, Herbert Chitepo and Lookout Masuku amongst others, added the MDC-99 leader.
Meanwhile President Mugabe hosts the annual Children's Party for schoolchildren from the country's 10 provinces at the City Sports Centre today. Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo yesterday said preparations for the 32nd independence celebrations were progressing well.
The two rival MDC factions led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube are expected to attend official independence events on April 18 to be held at the National Sports Stadium.
This threat comes just after MDC-99 leader Job Sikhala urged Zimbabweans not to observe Independence Day as a protest against President Robert Mugabe.
Instead, Sikhala is urging Zimbabweans to "mourn the loss of our true independence" under 32 years of Mugabe's uninterrupted rule.
Sikhala added that Mugabe has monopolised Independence Day to equate it to himself and his party to suit his own delusional agendas. Those who gate-crashed it, we have seen them being ridiculed last year.
"This day, or the so-called Independence, is a day of mourning, mourning the loss of our true independence and also the loss of our true heroes who died fighting for our freedom such as Josiah Tongogara, Herbert Chitepo and Lookout Masuku amongst others, added the MDC-99 leader.
Meanwhile President Mugabe hosts the annual Children's Party for schoolchildren from the country's 10 provinces at the City Sports Centre today. Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo yesterday said preparations for the 32nd independence celebrations were progressing well.
Source - Byo24News
