Reckless behaviour cost lives - PDP

Repression, police brutality and the use of force, have no place in a modern democracy. Sadly for Zimbabwe the opposite is true , ZANUPF has taught the native to be violent in order to resolve social issues.

Today yet another dark cloud hangs over our beloved city; we mourn three departed innocent souls killed in cold blood by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The deaths are a result of a conflict emanating from the failure to deal with a peripheral issue of congestion.  

After the events of the 14th of November 2017,we were told that Mugabe was the centre of the problems and the confusion in the Police Service were a result of the conduct of his protégé one Augustine Chihuri who has since been retired.

We argued then as we do now that the ZANUPF system is rotten to the core and needs a complete overhaul, it is an institution beyond reform.

A government with no respect for human life must be jettisoned; removing Mugabe and a few G40 fellows is tinkering with the deck while the titanic is sinking.

In our statement of the 4th of December 2017 we advised the government to send their planners to Rosaria a small town in Argentina to pick a few lessons on how to organise vendors and decongest the city, this advice fell on deaf ears and now life has been lost.

This government is full of people who enjoy talking to the press about their foreign trips yet they do not learn anything during their endless globetrots.

Typical of a gerontocracy, they have vision loss, hearing problems, cognitive impairments, they learn nothing and they are forgetful.
It is not only the issue of force at play on this matter; it is also the idea of misplaced priorities.
As dysfunctional as it is, the transport system in Harare is far away from being a disaster therefore  deploying trigger happy of policemen armed to the teeth was not only premature but reckless.

Those responsible for the move must be brought to book, they must be held accountable, the time for playing games with people's lives must come to an end.

The second issue involved is that of ideological bankrupts and a distorted understanding of our society.

With the majority of our people living in poverty it is shocking for government to make a decision that only benefits a driving minority at the expense of the commuting majority.
State responsibility is on the efficacy of a public transport system not disruption of the same.

An MDC Alliance government will develop an urban transport system including a metro system for Bulawayo and Harare.

The defining status quo of modern cities is the development of a fast, environmentally clean, urban commuter network commonly known as the Tube or the Metro. The Gautrain across the border is also another good example.

We suggests a modern metro- system for all major cities with priority being given to Chitungwiza - Harare - Norton - Ruwa, - Network and the Pumula - Llewellyn - Cement Side - Bulawayo -Network.
 
The third issue at play is that of disrespect of constitutional principles, the idea that Zimbabweans decided to be run though a devolved state.

State interference in the work of local authorities has been problematic and remains problematic in this case it is at the centre of sad loss of life.

On 3 December 2017 the state deployed soldiers to evict vendors and now they deployed the police therefore the trend has always been there an attempt to dissociate with the instruction will not stick. The people of Zimbabwe are aware of ZANUPF's tricks.

In fact this government decision was backed by a circular from the Ministry of Local Government. It was in their 100 day plan of which there is five days left. The need to meet a self-imposed arbitrary deadline has led to 3 deaths.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their loved ones to yesterday's violence.

We will ensure that this culture is eradicated.

Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible

Jacob Mafume
PDP Spokesperson and MDC Alliance Information Committee