Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa has claimed that President Emmerson “Mnangagwa is worse than” former leader, Robert Mugabe.
Nelson Chamisa who is leading the Movement for Democratic Change was reacting angrily to the security crackdown on protesters.
There are fears the ongoing chaos and crackdown on protesters could escalate in the coming days. There are reports also of opposition politicians going into hiding to avoid arrests.
There have been reports of over 12 deaths and hundreds of arrests as security forces crackdown on protesters.
The security agencies have been accused by human rights groups of using excessive force in controlling protesters.
But the government is accusing the opposition of rather fueling the protests. Some rights groups on Monday initiated legal action against the brutal clampdown on dissent.
Nelson Chamisa told the BBC that President “Mnangagwa seems to be worse” in comparison to former president Robert Mugabe.
Chamisa defended his claim saying Mnangagwa is “using the army against protesters, against demonstrators but also against the MDC in a very bad way…
In fact, all the enthusiasm and euphoria that gripped the nation when Mr Mugabe exited has just died down and petered out because what we are seeing is a worse off situation.”
President Emerson Mnangagwa has cut short his foreign trip to return home. He had been criticized for traveling during the agitations.
Economic crisis
Protests have been over the decision by President Mnangagwa to increase fuel prices. He increased petrol prices from $1.24 a litre to $3.31, with diesel up from $1.36 a litre to $3.1.
Mnangagwa says the increased prices of petrol and diesel are to help tackle a shortfall caused by increased fuel usage and “rampant” illegal trading.
Nelson Chamisa says “The economy is totally going southwards. It is in bad shape, the economic meltdown is a manifestation of the absence of confidence in the market but absence of confidence is necessitated by the political crisis and the political stalemate in the country, occasioned by disputed elections, occasioned by a deficit of good governance, a deficit of democracy.”
Zimbabwe is currently struggling to clear its debts and also resolve a currency crisis that has resulted in the shortage of the U.S dollar.
Chamisa said the current “political instability is obviously affecting economic viability. You can’t have economic viability where there’s no political stability, where there’s no comprehensive economic reforms.
Corruption is rampant and Mr Mnangagwa is responsible for the corruption because he has been part of the system together under Mr Mugabe’s regime.”
Last week several businesses, including banks, shops and government offices shut but re-opened in the capital Harare on Monday.
But the protests and agitations do not seem to be slowing just yet amid the security crackdown.
Source: Africafeeds.com
