MDC postpones anniversary, again

By Nokuthaba Nkomo

The MDC party has yet again postponed its 19th anniversary celebrations which had been scheduled for the weekend.

This is in compliance with a ban on public gatherings and street vending imposed by government in a bid to contain the spread of cholera, which has claimed more than 45 lives.

MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya confirmed to the Daily News that the party’s anniversary had indeed been moved to a later date.

“The anniversary was cancelled due to the cholera outbreak. The police told us that we cannot go ahead with the celebrations because the ban has not yet been lifted, but we suspect that this move is political. We have been witnessing several gatherings around the city including church meetings and soccer matches yet we were denied the chance to hold our celebrations.”

“To us the regime seemingly fears what is going to happen if president Chamisa addresses the nation because they know that they did not win the election,” Chibaya said.

Last month, Chamisa filed a petition at the Constitutional Court claiming that he had won the presidential election by 60 percent, while stating mathematical inconsistencies which he said if corrected would have reduced President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tally to below 50 percent.

Despite the court dismissing his application with costs, Chamisa still insists that the ballot was rigged.

In fact, it was Chamisa’s intention to swear himself in as president during the 19th anniversary celebrations notwithstanding government’s threats that he would be arrested if he proceeds to do so.

Police also, under the same ban, have also stopped the opposition president’s mock inauguration. DailyNews