Former Finance Minister, Advocate Tendai Biti, has found it mind-boggling that the government of Zimbabwe is failing to provide for basic needs but at the same time has the resources to crush demonstrations by citizens.
His remarks come after the State blocked MDC initiated demonstrations slated for the 16th, 19th, 20th and 21st of August in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru and Masvingo respectively.
The government cited the need to avoid chaos as the main reason for banning the protests. Police said that they had discovered concrete evidence to support the idea that the MDC wanted to conduct violent demonstrations.
Police crushed the Harare demonstration, leaving a number of demonstrators wounded. Soldiers and police were also heavily present in other cities, a development viewed by some as a measure to deter elbow civilians off the streets.
Posting on Microblogging site, Twitter, TENDAI BITI said:
It is amazing that a regime that can’t feed its people , provide power, fuel& medicine to its people, provide textbooks to its children, provide decent wages to its workers, provide decent pensions to its elderly will find such energy, zeal and resources to crush its people.
The MDC is arguing that a huge deficit in electricity, food, medicines, fuel and several other essentials is the reason why the demonstrations were initiated.
On the other hand, the ruling government views the demonstrations as a mere way of planning to overthrow the government.
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