News / Local
Mwonzora tells Mnangagwa to depoliticise Covid-19 activities
25 Mar 2021 at 06:03hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stop politicising Covid-19 activities, urging the Zimbabwean leader to adopt politics of tolerating opponents.
He said this while giving a vote of thanks at the launch of the country's second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination exercise in the resort city of Victoria Falls Wednesday.
Mwonzora, notably the only senior politician among presidents from other fringe parties in attendance, said while his party supports the government's drive in the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccination, the politics of self-aggrandisement must stop.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the world and economies. It has affected livelihoods and culture of various communities across the world as the pandemic is both a national and international emergency and, therefore, it has to be completely depoliticised which is why there are political leaders here other than in the ruling party," said Mwonzora.
The recently elected MDC-T leader said the opposition parties are not anti-development as they are for the resuscitation of the economy hence about 16 of them travelled with Mnangagwa to witness the launch of the second Covid-19 vaccination in the resort city.
"We have adopted a new philosophy – a new way of doing our politics and we must be guided by what is in the best interests of our people. It must be the interest of Zimbabweans first and our political self-aggrandisement second.
"We urge a new politics in this country, gone are the days of politics of acrimony, violence, hate and intolerance. We want to substitute this with the politics of rational disputation and tolerance. You are because I am, I am because you are," Mwonzora said.
He commended the choice of Victoria Falls for the vaccination roll-out saying everybody across the political divide stands for the economic development of Zimbabwe.
Mwonzora added it was irresponsible for anybody to incite people against being vaccinated, adding the vaccine must not be made a class issue but availed to every citizen, rich and poor, rural and urban.
There have been conspiracies around the vaccine with a myriad of misinformation making rounds that the vaccine was not safe for people.
"We urge all Zimbabweans to accept vaccination because this is the only viable option available. We need to resuscitate our economy and take our place as the commercial and economic hub of the African continent whose development trajectory leaves no one behind. This is a tourist hub of the world so it is befitting that citizens of Victoria Falls are vaccinated hence we call upon our people to be vaccinated," said Mwonzora.
He said this while giving a vote of thanks at the launch of the country's second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination exercise in the resort city of Victoria Falls Wednesday.
Mwonzora, notably the only senior politician among presidents from other fringe parties in attendance, said while his party supports the government's drive in the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccination, the politics of self-aggrandisement must stop.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the world and economies. It has affected livelihoods and culture of various communities across the world as the pandemic is both a national and international emergency and, therefore, it has to be completely depoliticised which is why there are political leaders here other than in the ruling party," said Mwonzora.
The recently elected MDC-T leader said the opposition parties are not anti-development as they are for the resuscitation of the economy hence about 16 of them travelled with Mnangagwa to witness the launch of the second Covid-19 vaccination in the resort city.
@DMwonzora 'We don't want politics of hunger, hate and intolerance.' @nelsonchamisa pic.twitter.com/x4MqiR5cH7
— Bulawayo24 News (@Bulawayo24News) March 25, 2021
"We have adopted a new philosophy – a new way of doing our politics and we must be guided by what is in the best interests of our people. It must be the interest of Zimbabweans first and our political self-aggrandisement second.
"We urge a new politics in this country, gone are the days of politics of acrimony, violence, hate and intolerance. We want to substitute this with the politics of rational disputation and tolerance. You are because I am, I am because you are," Mwonzora said.
He commended the choice of Victoria Falls for the vaccination roll-out saying everybody across the political divide stands for the economic development of Zimbabwe.
Mwonzora added it was irresponsible for anybody to incite people against being vaccinated, adding the vaccine must not be made a class issue but availed to every citizen, rich and poor, rural and urban.
There have been conspiracies around the vaccine with a myriad of misinformation making rounds that the vaccine was not safe for people.
"We urge all Zimbabweans to accept vaccination because this is the only viable option available. We need to resuscitate our economy and take our place as the commercial and economic hub of the African continent whose development trajectory leaves no one behind. This is a tourist hub of the world so it is befitting that citizens of Victoria Falls are vaccinated hence we call upon our people to be vaccinated," said Mwonzora.
Source - newzimbabwe
