Mugabe told to take heed of protests

The MDC formations have told President Robert Mugabe to read the writing on the wall and start packing his bags as Zimbabweans have had enough of his 36-year-old rule.

A crippling stay away resulted in the closure of schools, hospitals, banks and other services yesterday as hungry Zimbabweans took heed to the call for a "Shut down Zimbabwe" protest.

In a statement, the main opposition party, which played a peripheral role in the hugely successful demonstration, said Zimbabweans, who are failing to make ends meet, have finally spoken of their resentment to the status quo.

"Indeed, the people of Zimbabwe have spoken in a very clear and unequivocal manner showing that they are completely and utterly fed up with the shenanigans of the crumbling, bankrupt and faction-ridden Zanu-PF regime," MDC  spokesperson Obert Gutu said.

"We are humbled by the fact that Zimbabweans are now emboldened and strengthened in their desire and clamour for peaceful, democratic change after taking a clue from the three highly successful mass demonstrations that were recently held by the MDC.

The former Chisipite senator said Zanu-PF has been given notice that it is now living on "borrowed time."

"Zimbabweans throughout the length and breadth of our beloved motherland are sick and tired of the renegade and insipidly corrupt Zanu-PF regime that is fronted by...Mugabe.

"Zanu-PF successfully rigged the elections on July 31, 2013 but they have hopelessly failed to rig the economy. The people of Zimbabwe are not docile and neither are they fools. They know, exactly, what they want."

He added, "four million Zimbabweans are facing the horrifying spectre of starvation since the bankrupt regime has no money to import the necessary quantities of maize that are urgently needed to avert mass starvation".

In the statement, the MDC said it is now time that Sadc intervenes in the unfolding Zimbabwean crisis.

"Fresh, free and fair elections should be held in Zimbabwe in order to usher in a legitimate government of the people. These fresh elections should only be held after ensuring that electoral reforms have been undertaken that will guarantee the holding of free and fair elections that will pass the test of legitimacy.

"These fresh elections should be supervised by SADC, the AU and the UN. It is clear that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) is incorrigibly delinquent and severely compromised. Zec is just but an extension of the collapsing Zanu-PF regime and in its current form, it is completely unable and incapable of running a free and fair election," he added.

Commenting on the brutal clampdown on protestors, spokesperson of the smaller MDC formation Kuraone Chihwai said Mugabe's regime will one day answer to charges of human rights abuses.