Zanu-PF anti-sanctions march postponed

THE ruling Zanu-PF party has postponed its planned anti-sanctions solidarity march that was sechuled for Thursday over President Emmerson Mnangagwa's absence.

Mnangagwa is attending the African leg of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town South Africa.

Zanu-PF's secretary for administration Obert Mpofu told NewZimbabwe.com in an interview Wednesday that the march will be rescheduled to a later date.

"Its true we have rescheduled the march because the President is out of the country and it was not possible to hold it. We will hold it at a later date and the public will be advised," said Mpofu.

The opposition MDC reacted angrily to the announcement that Mnangagwa will address an anti-sanctions protest in Harare, weeks after authorities issued no less five prohibition orders against its plans to hold demonstrations across the country against rising cost of living.

It was also understood that the MDC wanted to use the protests to force Mnangagwa to agree to what it calls "genuine" dialogue with party leader Nelson Chamisa who has refused to recognise the Zanu-PF leader as legitimate President of the country.

Chamisa lost last year's presidential poll by a slim margin but claimed he had been robbed of victory. He tried to have the result overturned at the Constitutional Court but failed. The MDC leader has claimed the local courts are captured by Mnangagwa.

Zanu-PF has planned the march is in support of Sadc resolution to call for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe at the turn of the century over right abuses and electoral fraud. Sadc last month announced its members will set aside October 25 as a day to demand collectively the removal of the sanctions mainly by the US on Mnangagwa's administration.

Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF claim the sanctions have decimated the economy and caused untold hardships on Zimbabweans.